The King and his Lorelei
by moon82993
Summary: The world is struggling after Umbrella won. This world is one that you wouldn't recognize. Joan Johnson, a survivor of The Great Darkness has caught the eye of the secret King Wesker. Wanting nothing to do with him she struggles to keep her freedom. Unknowingly fighting him in ways that would make her heritage proud. But… will her best be enough?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Joan Johnson: a nineteen year old girl from Florida. She was alive at the time of The Great Darkness, a worldwide black out that killed many of the Earth's population and the survivors cant age passed the age of their prime. For her it is in between the age of nineteen and her early 20's. Her brown hair hangs past her shoulder and goes up in a geometric cut, normally pulled into an oily pony tail. She wears clothes that hide her figure and is normally barefoot or wearing flip-flops or sneakers. She has a ring on her index finger that's a purity ring, meaning she is waiting for the right man to come along, but really she mostly wears it because it was a gift from her father, who the officers murdered when they found out he was a pastor before the right to religion was given back. She normally carries a straight razor on her person in the case of an emergency. Her dark brown eyes normally have bags around them from lack of sleep. And she has a fishing hook in her ear as an earring and a regular earring depending on her mood in her other ear. She lives with her mother who is a nurse and her families have all come together into the same village; both her mother's and her late father's.

The survivors of the Darkness have moved on and tried to make the best of life as they can. Children have become children again with the lack of easy electricity and have surprisingly gotten more into school as a distraction from their hard lives as well as to wish for a better future for their families. With the lack of electricity to power abortions the birthrate has also climbed up high, the remaining Earth's population wishing to go back to the 6 billion that it was before. Women have become a treasure as more and more disappear. And girls are getting married at ages as young as 14, being as life is fragile now even if they can't age as quickly they can still die easy.

The Amish people have left their towns and have traveled the world to help people get used to the lack of easy energy and have surprisingly discovered another energy source called Claudia, named after the little girl who discovered it. Joan has a knack for fixing the mechanical animals that people use to help themselves with their daily lives. She also looks out for the children of the village when the teens and adults are out in the fields or on boats or just at jobs. She has help from Katie, a New Amish (Amish that believe that Claudia is okay to use and only Claudia) that is a friend of hers and is her new sister-in-law since Sally died in The Great Rebellion against Umbrella.

The Umbrella Corporation has taken over with a king that stays in secret. No one knows if there really is a king or if the king is real he could be any stranger that walks into town. The infections of the viruses have become a part of daily lives and since the Darkness more people are in control the viruses that have infected them. A new discovery was made, that men who carry any of the viruses have a need for DNA that could fit the viruses suitably, as mates. Any female is fair game as long as the virus chooses that girl. Once they see or smell the female they become obsessed with her. Drawing the male to near insanity until the male gets the girl and sees her nearly every day.

For some reason this mostly happens to the Umbrella people, though, many have heard of the rogue young man kidnapping a young woman, something that is feared by all girls. John, Joan's brother, had this, he didn't kidnap Katie, just followed her everywhere until she was allowed to court him. He waited until she told him she loved him to pop the question. Girls normally have a blood test to see if they are likely for this to happen; girls that find out that they are likely to be taken try to make themselves seem like men or teen boys; a surprising deterrent to the sight and smell of a young man eager for a young woman to take to his bed or for a mate.


	2. Chapter 1 Times are Tough

Times are Tough

A young woman sat down on the wooden bench outside near the beach. The waves rolled and the birds squawked and the salty wind went through the palm tree branches making the sound of rain enter through her ears. The white shell sand felt cold under her bare feet and the blue of the ocean calmed her down in a way that only Sunset Park could. She let her hair down from the oily ponytail that held it up. Oily from her sweat that came from repairing mechanical horses day after day and not being able to wash it correctly for a while. She sighed as she caught sight of an Umbrella officer eying her. _Probably unsure what I'm doing here._ She thought as she reached her hand under her sleeve for her straight razor and let go when he walked away and went into the café/bar nearby. She relaxed as she heard the sound of children laughing and coming toward her.

"Joe!" at her nickname she turned to see her little cousin Anya run to her and tackles her off the bench. Joan couldn't help but laugh at the joy on Anya's face. Anya had short blonde hair that went down to her chin and dark brown eyes that glowed with childhood joy. Her dress was cut from an old one of Joan's dresses. "What are you doing at the Park, Joe? Are you looking for Uncle Joseph again?"

Joseph was Joan's father, murdered by operatives of Umbrella when she was 18 and what started the Great Rebellion. Naturally no one told the young 4 year old Anya what happened, who loved her dear Uncle with all her little heart. They just told her he went out to fish and never came back.

Joan smiled and shook her head, "No, he's still looking for the king grouper, Lil' Mermaid!" she said as she picked Anya off the sand and was walking her to the road. Sharp shells and rocks cut against her bare feet, but it didn't matter, she had her little mermaid with her. "How was Uncle Geoff?"

The little girl on her hip scrunched up her face at the sound of her guardian's name. "He had a meeting with the weird Umbrella people again… one of them had weird glasses on." As her little mouth moved with her telling everything that happened today Joan was startled as she saw the officer from before following her from the reflection of a broken glass window of a building that she passed. "And then Auntie made me some tacos and tea and we made little jewelry with-"

"Baby, how 'bout a race?" Joan interrupted. _Got to get Anya away from this guy just in case he is one of the unstable ones; she is too young to see what happens to girls now. _But, that was all she had to say to get the little girl to jump off her and run to her garage across the village of destroyed buildings. She relaxed visibly and turned to talk to the officer with her most respectful voice possible, but when she turned, he was nowhere to be found. _Odd but pleasant, I wonder what Uncle Geoff was doing having a meeting two days in a row with Umbrella_.

Umbrella has people who govern the providences of each village; her uncle was one of them and normally they have a meeting once a month about how things were going. Which got her in the center of unwanted attention after her cousin Nikki got mated with a young man who apparently was high up on the power latter. And since her Uncle Geoff knew she would never be mated without help, he advertised her many times in front of his superiors, but none found her to be suitable as a mate.

By the time she got to her garage and opened the old rusted door she found her brother in there as well as Uncle Keith and Uncle Peter and her mother who was holding Anya and singing the theme to Winnie the Pooh. They were all sitting on her couches that she had for customers to relax while she fixes their horses. Wrenches and nuts were scattered across the cement ground and the lights were flickering as she walked barefoot across the floor to sit on her desk facing the worried looks of her family.

"Why the long faces?" she asked joking to lighten up the mood. They all looked down and Joan got a bit worried because she knew the look. "Who got taken?" asking quickly as her mother walked Anya out of the room and into the house she and Joan shared. "I asked, who the _hell_ got taken?!"

"Jack, got taken. Joe, Sarah got taken, my little girl was taken." Peter whispered with eyes tearing up. Jack or Sarah was her eldest living female cousin. She was sickly and needed her meds to live. This never happened, it was always the girls who were strong to breed, Jack wasn't strong, not physically anyway. So, why did they take her? Her uncle Keith was trying to comfort his older brother as best as he could, Keith's daughter was also taken but she was lucky because she killed they guy that took her and was able to come home. But... she wouldn't be able to… to… kill anyone. Why? Why did this happen?

* * *

When she woke up she heard a knock on the door. She slept in the garage and on the couch across the desk. "I'm coming." She said as she got up and put on her pants and a shirt. By the time she got up from tripping over her favorite wrench the knocks where louder and it sounded like someone was kicking her door. "Stop molesting my door with your foot, Chickie!" Chickie was slang for girl or womanly man, and since she knew it was a guy outside from the kicking she wanted to piss him off even more.

When the kicking stopped she decided to open the door. And as she opened it up she saw Old Ginger Blue with his son Barney. "Ugh, what do you want now, Gi Gi?" she asked while she rubbed her face in annoyance.

Joan's POV

"Ah need mah 'orse, Jo'!" Barney said before his father could ask politely. Barney was that neighbor that everyone has, the one that borrows your stuff without asking. The guy that steals your newspaper and bringing it back with a roach splattered on the front page. That one guy that takes the Licker you captured yourself and lets it out to go free, even after you were beginning to get it to trust you. Well, maybe you don't know what the last thing was like, but that was one of the last straws for me.

"Times are tough! I don't have as much time as I used to. And I told Ginger that it would take till the end of the month on Tuesday! So, back off!"

"Ah don' believe 'ou! Some gah at t'a ba' say he taking yah somew'ere. Soh, gimmeh mah 'orse!" by now the man known as Barney was twitching with anger and that freaky thing came out of his mouth and everything went black.

* * *

Author's Note

* * *

**I forgot to put on the prologue, I don't own Resident Evil. And this story doesn't show my political view but was an idea from a friend who asked and wanted this for her birthday. If I should continue please tell me, if not and this is the most horrendous thing that has graced you eyes, tell me.**


	3. Chapter 2 He's Back!

He's Back!

_The grass was green, and blowing in the wind. Flowers bloomed everywhere and swayed to the stream of music from a piano playing Tifa's Theme. Across the clearing was a man. He had deep, dark brown eyes. His large hands were holding a couple of fishing rods even though there was no sea nearby. A little girl was laughing with her daddy who held her in his arms. Joan stood up and saw the man and girl. The man looked at her and smiled and winked at her._

_Joan smiled back. A tear ran down her face, "Bye, Daddy. I love you." She whispered as he and the little version of her walked away into the woods. "I miss you so much, but one day… we'll see each other again, and when that happens, there will be no more tears." _

She cried hard when she woke up from her dream. She had that dream sometimes, wanting her daddy just to hold her, tell her it would be all right, to pray for her, and just be there for her. When she was done she got up from the blood covered floor and started to clean up the mess. Her desk that belonged to her father was broken in half… again. The couches and chairs were all turned around and soaked with water. And upon the ground was a picture. It had a golden frame around it and the picture was of her father, her, her brother, her mother, and her papa. Who was her mother's father that died before the Great Darkness and was buried in what was once New Jersey.

She looked at the broken glass and maneuvered her bare hands around it and used her bare feet with enough grace so that she could put the picture on the brown filling cabinet across the room. After a few hours of cleaning and scrubbing she was done and decided to go to work on the horses to clear her mind and her eyes. Memories of fishing with her father or gardening with her papa or reading with either of them had her in need of some comforting.

When she got into the stables she found many horses, all mechanical, looking at her and neighing. She realized that her job wouldn't help her and since she couldn't even hold a nut without dropping it she decided to go to the bar. She remembered something about what that Licker-stealing-son-of-an-egg-dropper Barney said. Her heart started to race. _Would it really be him? Is he really back in town? _She dropped everything –a wrench almost falling on her foot- and ran to the blackest horse in the stable, Night Wood, jumped on its back and rode like her life depended on it.

When she was at the bar which was a ten minute ride she jumped off the horse, fell on the ground and stumbled up to the door and slammed it open. "Well if it ain't mah lil' Lorelei!" she heard from the far left corner of the bar, and sure enough there was a man that had her purple handkerchief covering his face and his old tattered, black trench coat wrapped around his tall figure. Her mouth smiled as bright as it could.

"Jacky, Your back!" she squealed and ran over to his usual table. Jacky was a nickname that she gave the merchant, since he didn't ever tell her his name. "Tell me everything! Where did you go? Where did you stay? Did you find your friend Leon? Speak, dang it!"

A raspy chuckle was his answer and she noticed his red eyes glowed as he smiled. "Let meh just ge' mah beer, Lorelei." When the waitress brought it over Joan saw the merchant's eyes wandering downward to her ass as she walked away. "Now where wa' Ah?"

"Looking at a pretty girl's behind." Joan laughed as he looked surprised.

"Yah caugh' tha'?" he asked almost ashamed though jokingly. And as she nodded she wondered if he was blushing. "Well, how Ah answer dem questions? Ah was in Scotland and traveled all tha' way down tah Russia. Ah stayed outside a'course! And, no, Ah didn't see Ol' Strangah."

"Okay…" she said disappointed. She knew Leon since she was a kid. He would visit down in Florida when he was on vacation and stay in one of her grandma's rental houses. They met over a giant iguana that Joan was chasing down the street and he saved her life before she was hit by a car. After that every time he came down they would hang out and he would bring her presents. But he stopped coming when she turned 15, something about how he wanted to make a girl like him or something. "Anyway at least you're here!"

Joan's POV

He looked a bit sad for a moment before telling me that he was only here for a very short visit. Umbrella was looking for him for information about Eastern Europe and he would rather not be caught until they found someone else to tell them. So, I nodded, understanding why he had to go, and he finished his beer and left. Depressed, I ordered a cigar from the counter and started puffing. It was something that my dad did when he was having guy time with our family. The smell reminds me of him… well… if I find a guy that smells of soap and a good stick… and that special spice that my dad and brother have on their scents, and then it reminds me of him.

I sighed tasting the scent that was in the air of the stick I was puffing. And decided to go back to work on the horses. At the time I walked unknowingly past the officer from yesterday.

Beepadee boopadee beepadee zap, don't go away, I'll be back. BTW I forgot to describe the officer. All Umbrella officers have uniforms that look just like HUNK from the games. Only higher ups can change their uniforms and have it more unique.


	4. Strange Rumors

Strange Rumors

Joan's POV

Summer is coming. I can feel it in my bones. The guava pastries are being made, key lime limeade is being given out to the pedestrians, and smiles on the locals are becoming brighter. Summer was a time for celebrations, it was the time of the end of The Great Rebellion, it is also the time of great fishing harvests, and it is also the time of singing. People sing during this time of the year, for some reason it makes us think of the time without Umbrella.

Jacky is coming back home soon. He usually pops up and gives us new songs for a price. With it being summer girls can come out of hiding because usually Umbrella sends new, sane officers and takes the unstable ones and experiment on them until September.

I found a crowd of people over by Old Ginger Blue's house. It seemed they were taking Barney out and arresting him, quite forcefully I might add. The crowd had some Umbrella officers. Some of them are nice men. Most are kind to girls and children, and even more help us with building villages or helping the sick. It's just that the way they were maneuvering him was making it seem as if he was fighting. That is something no man should ever do when being arrested, it was well learned after the Forgers' Incident that only girls are forgiven in fighting arrests.

They shouldn't be doing that, true Barney was a jerk and probably done many things wrong, but none of those things deserved what it looked like they were going to do to him when they were done here. I ran over to where they were and I struggled through the angry crowd. "Stop!" I shouted, forgetting to change my voice an octave lower.

The officers stopped and turned to look at me. I saw Barney; he looked like a guy who was going to die. "What is going on here?" the one on the left of Barney asked, I couldn't see his eyes through his mask but it seemed as if he was glaring at me. I glared back and told him this was wrong and that Barney hadn't done anything deserving of this. "We had orders from higher up, Miss. This man was charged with attacking a superior's mate." At that the crowd went silent and Barney paled so much I thought he was a vampire.

"He did no such thing," Old Ginger Blue stated. Everyone looked at him, we all respect him, he was the oldest survivor of the Darkness and now we look to him like an elder. "The girl he attacked out of foolish viral anger was not mated nor was she claimed by any man. So, get your hands off my son!" I paled knowing it was I that they were talking about. I had yet to be claimed or taken, so the thought that I make a man unstable scared me as bad as a rodent who was staring into the eyes of a snake. Barney noticed my face and looked at me with sympathy. His daughter was one of the first ones taken.

The officers looked at him and back at me and the one on Barney's right made the move to let go and the other officer shot him in the head. At the sound of the gun everyone started screaming. People were scattering to get their weapons to protect Barney or bringing the children inside to hide. I could barely see straight. Even before The Great Darkness I always had sensitive hearing, and after everyone got infected our hearing became more and more sensitive.

I remember being grabbed and hurried over to the side as the fight broke out. Umbrella people who kill other Umbrella people always bring trouble to villages. We get investigated and more women get taken. When this happens we usually have to kill the murderer and bring them to the outskirts of the providence. Kind of like an offering to Umbrella and in exchange they don't enter the villages of the providence.

I found it was Katie who grabbed me and hid me in the bar that was nearby. "It's you they were talking about wasn't it, Joan?" I didn't hush her even though she said my real name and we were not alone. I only nodded and started crying. I couldn't help the tears, I had dreams of my father not being able to protect me from a man, I was just startled and my ears are bleeding, and I'm finding out that my worst fear is happening. If all that happened to you, wouldn't you cry?

"I need to hide, Katie, but I don't know where I can. I can't travel, or hide out like a rogue, unstable man… I would be arrested!"

Katie sighed and started crying when she realized we had nothing else to do but wait. She knew I loved my freedom, what little freedom we girls have left in this world nowadays, well, until we are mated off. "I am sorry, but I can't think of anything. Unless John could find a way." John, my brother and Katie's husband and mate, worked for Umbrella as an accountant. Just 2 years ago after John had his third daughter they found him and asked him if he use to work for a weapons manufacturing company before Umbrella took over. When he was forced to tell the truth they made him an accountant again. John always hears rumors and uses the knowledge to keep as many villages safe from Umbrella; he has never gotten in trouble for it either.

We waited hours till the shooting stopped. And when it was all over it when quiet until Barney ran in to where Katie and I were and said that it was alright for us to come out but he and I had to change clothes. John found out what happened and had an idea to get me away for a few days. Unfortunately, I had a feeling that this will be one summer that I wouldn't be able to sing in.


	5. Real Horses are Almost Extinct, Nitwit!

Real Horses are Almost Extinct, You Nitwit!

Joan's POV

Unfortunately, the plan was for me to stay on Shark Island for a few days, camping out on the small landmass as if I was being punished by the village. It was a smart plan because normally villages hide the girls and never put them so out in the open; so by having me wear men's clothing from the village and having me out there, the officers wouldn't see me as the girl they were looking for. Since it was almost summer my hair had turned into a dark blonde since it was sun bleached.

I was so bored. On occasion the officers that would come out to my garage and were regulars would swim or ride a boat to where I was. They know who I am. Really, these guys are like family. The regulars would hang at my place just so that they wouldn't get caught taking a break from the hot Floridian weather. They would tell me how the village was doing and how the search for me was going. I knew that Umbrella was quite the annoyance when they wanted something. The only good thing was that after The Great Darkness they, too, needed to get used to things.

I found out that my uncle Geoff was going to be hosting a dinner for some important people. Why my uncle was so popular was beyond me. The guy was a complete douche. He wanted to use me and all my girl cousins to get to the important people of Umbrella and move himself up the ranks.

It is night time now. I looked up to the clear dark sky, praying that Umbrella would go away. That one day, the remaining humans would be able to lift our heads again and we would be able to dance with the people that we chose to. So that girls wouldn't have to dress as boys to protect themselves.

I looked at the stars, the one thing that didn't change when Umbrella took over. Tears flowed out my eyes as I remembered friends and family that didn't come home. Sarah is still missing, probably mated and gone. And now I will be next. I don't want to kill the man that will take me; but I will if I have to. I don't want to have a relationship at the moment, but women now can't help if they are chosen.

I remember about 20 real years ago all I needed to do was go to college, get good grades, and find someone to fall in love with; now I have to fix mechanical horses, stay down, and hope I can find a good man to take me in. Yeah I know I'm 39 years old. Well since everyone ages slowly and then once they reach their prime they stop, people just don't use dates that much anymore. We still use them for birthdays and holidays and stuff. It's just not a big deal when it comes to age. And the people who are past their prime, they just feel as if they are in their prime because of the viruses and they don't age either. I love and cherish my memories of days before the Darkness. _I miss that era._ And with that thought I fell asleep.

After a week I was able to go back to work on the horses. My stand in wasn't as good and I had redo everything that he did. Let me tell you that taking apart eight horses and fixing the issues that pop up out of nowhere is annoying. How do you switch the green and red wires with a banana peel was beyond me.

One day I was humming the Hymn of the Fayth and a new customer walked in. I had never seen this guy before. He stood at well over six feet and his blonde hair was gelled back. His sunglasses were reflecting the flickering lights I had in my office. The guy had the Umbrella officer uniform on, but he must have taken off his mask outside. None of them ever did that, unless I was hiding my regulars and snuck them a cigar. I didn't trust this guy at all and I couldn't get to my straight razor because I was in a horse right now.

Oil covered my arms up to my elbows. My glare was as hard as I could make it. My glasses were falling off my nose and I flicked my neck to put them back on the top of my nose. I watched the man who couldn't even be forty years old maneuver around the mess in my office. He was silent, but I could tell that he didn't need to talk to scare most people. I have to admit; when he yanked my door up I thought Death himself was coming for my soul. The sun was coming through the garage door giving him a darker feeling. This guy meant business.

"I am in need of your services Mr. Johnson." I was startled, the guy had a strange accent and he had the politeness to call me a Mister. But when I looked down at my arms I noticed I didn't put on the right bra today, so it was obvious that I was a girl. I reached in the horses wires to find my fallout weapon. I install them in every horse so that if I'm in trouble I can always look for a horse that I have fixed.

As my hands touched the taser I felt a hand on my back; it was in between my shoulder blades and I slowly moved my hands out of the horse. "What do you need, Mr. Stranger?" I hoped that this guy didn't know the Merchant. Jacky could get in big trouble for my little slip up just now.

The hand disappeared and I looked up from the cement floor to where he was before. The guy's hair must have been gelled quite well for it to stay like that in between such speed. He seemed to straighten his back and tense as I looked him in the eye… well as best as I could with his glasses on. "My horse has an issue with its leg or hoof." He was clear to the point and he has yet to relax.

I started using submissive body language with this guy and it seems that he still has yet to relax. "Well," I have started using a respectful voice, but it didn't seem to work, "which is it? The leg or the hoof?" usually when the horse is having mechanical trouble there are lights that flash different colors. The hoof and the leg are two completely different colors, so I was confused about the whole 'not understanding' bit.

"I heard that you could tell me." Was the only reply I got from the guy. He started walking around and looking at the photos I have up. Some were my own work and others were just family portraits that survived the takeover of Umbrella and the years that followed. I was confused for a moment until an unsettling thought went through my head.

_Did he steal the horse?_

If he did then I could get into trouble for helping him, but if I deny him my services off the bat… what would happen? Obviously, this guy didn't fear his higher ups because his mask is off. And a man without fear of being caught by something like Umbrella was very unsettling and dangerous. So, after a minuet of debating in my head I decided to take the lesser of the two evils and go take a look at his horse.

This man was very patient with me. I nodded to him and I went to wash my hands in the sink behind my desk; as I worked the soap into my arms and hands I felt his eyes on me and… my ass. _Cheeky basterd_. I glared down at my lathered up hands, rinsed them off, and dried them with a towel. When I turned to face him his head when back up to looking at my face… but I didn't know his eyes were going from my own to my breasts back and forth.

"What model is it?" I asked trying to get distracted from the gut feeling of danger. As I walked behind him I could tell he was very tense again.

"It's a Clydesdale."

"What model is it? Not what type of style."

He looked back at me with an eyebrow raised. Great, a guy that doesn't know what model it is and may have stolen the horse… my life's just great.

When we finally got to the stable I found a _real_ horse in Night Wood's stall. Night Wood was turned off to conserve power and was somewhere in the back stables. "The fuck!" I sputtered in such surprise. I never worked with real horses; I barely know how to build a mechanical one without getting the parts mixed up. I just know how to fix them. But this guy has a… a real horse… did he steal it?

"What is wrong? It's just a horse." I heard somewhere through my fear and confusion.

"Just a-a horse?!" I screeched, he flinched and so did I in the end, but I continued, "That's a real fucking horse! And real horses are almost extinct, you nitwit!" the horse looked at me and started flipping out because of my volume. I stopped and started to hyperventilate; I heard him say something snarky but in the end I remember nothing after it as all went out into darkness.


	6. Learning History

Learning History

I woke up to find that I feinted on the stable floor. I thought it was all a dream until I found out that I was under a blanket and a pillow was under my head. The slow memories coming back made me even more confused for a moment. That was until I found boots to the side of my head. Then like magic, all the memories came back… and so did the fear.

I looked up to see the dark glass covered eyes of the blonde, tall man. "Really, it was just a horse." He said with a smirk on his face. I couldn't help but glare at him. "Not a morning person I see." He knelt down and gave me a glass of water. I didn't take it but continued to glare at him. "There is no reason to fear me."

"Your mask was off." I stated in a way that made it obvious. All he did was raise an eyebrow. It was as if he didn't know how people acted down here. I got up and still found that blasted horse in the stall. It was much calmer now and stood at about 28 hands. I couldn't help but fall in love with the giant, but the 'owner' was still questionable. "Why are you here? Anyone could tell that was a real horse," I flinched as I cracked my back in a wrong place and bent over backwards trying to stretch. I turned around and faced the Budweiser looking horse. "And I don't do real horses… I didn't even know real horses existed anymore."

What I didn't know really did come to hurt me, because he was glaring at me. And the next thing I know was that I was pushed or kicked to the end of the stalls. My blood was smeared on the ground from my leg and I couldn't help but gag at the smell of the horse's scent. It smelled horrendous. It mustn't be infected then. Wow, a non-infected animal, usually it's just dogs and cats or fish and the occasional iguana that I've seen, but a horse? Is that even possible?

I looked up as I could feel my leg re-stitching itself back to normal. As I was trying to get up he put his foot on my chest and I felt my heart drop. _This_ _guy really did steal the horse. I'm going to die. _And then I felt peace at the thought of dying. I must have smiled because when I opened my eyes he was confused for a moment, then he frowned and brought his foot off my chest. Will this guy make up his mind already?

"You are one strange girl." The way he said in that strange accent… it freaked me out. I mean, I'm getting a feeling that not a lot of people hear him speak and I have heard him talk more than I have today… which is weird because I am quite the talker when I'm normal.

"Were you just transferred over here?" the question flew out of my mouth and into the air where it hanged there for a bit. I saw him smirk and mouth the word 'No.' Shit… so this guy must be a higher up to be traveling… and if he was just traveling then this horse… must… actually be his… oh, double shit… I pissed off a Superior, and he has enough patience not to kill me, triple shit.

"I will leave you be if you see what is wrong with the horse." I could tell that he knew that that was all I wanted at the moment. I nodded and went to get up but he grabbed my hand and pulled me up. My sneakered feet were trying to balance from the force of his 'kind' gesture. "I will wait here for you to be finished then." He took a seat on my chair that I have in the stall. I have chairs in all the stalls so I can sit if I need to make a quick fix on a horse. I couldn't help but wonder why he wanted to stay. Was he one of the Unstable men out looking for a mate or was he just an unstable, power-hungry guy?

His eyebrow rose again and I glared at him one more time before I caught the sight of his right hand making a fist. Quickly I walked over to the horse and petted its nose. I looked down and saw it was favoring its left front leg, and I remembered something. "Did you take the Old Route from the Seven Mile Bridge to get here from the main providence?" Before he answered aloud I lifted the horse's hoof and saw a caltrop in the hoof. And I had to take the twisted metal out of the horse's hoof before he said 'yes'. I noticed he saw what was in my hand and he took it from me in a black and brown flash… literally. The horse started nudging me out of the stall and I had to admit that I agreed with the gentle giant.

When I got into the office that I had in the garage and a few hundred feet from the stables I saw the guy got here before me. "Why was there a medieval weapon in my horse's hoof just shy of the shoe?" he asked me leaning on what was the stable part of my broken wooden desk with his arms crossed. "If you didn't know horses were still in existence then what were caltrops doing on the Old Route?"

"When Umbrella started attacking non-infected humans, the Church, and just starting to take women, the people of the Florida Keys Provence had enough. They got people from most of Florida's provinces to come here. It was packed and people started living in the water on boats," I started my history lesson that I told the children when I looked after them about the times of The Great Rebellion and before The Great Darkness. "When news that Umbrella had to use horses and mechanical transportation was out of the question, we had an idea. Since I use to watch a show called 'Cadfael' I learned the dangers of caltrops. When I suggested this to the leaders of the villages they seemed to like the idea. In the end it kind of worked… until Umbrella remembered that they could just use boats or just walk the Old Route. But it took them three years to figure that out." I ended it with a laugh, unknowingly laughing at the King of Umbrella himself. He smirked and I didn't notice many things about him until he finally left. And then the thought came.

_Did he get a boner when I laughed?_


	7. Strange Times and Strange Gifts

Strange Times and Strange Gifts

It has been three days since the last time I saw the strange blonde, dangerous man. Life goes on and I just put his memory in a place in my mind that I will ignore forever. When I moved out the old tools to clean them by the beach I noticed a box with a note on top with cursive writing on top of the note. I looked around and ignored the gift. Sometimes the Unstable men would pick a gift for girls to pick up and sort out the best scent.

By the time I got to my favorite bench in the Park there was a large wrapped present with the same cursive writing on the note as the one outside my door. You learn not to believe in coincidences after living in this kind of world. I got a bit scared and ran into the bar leaving all my stuff near the bench.

I had to stay low for a while so I drank some tea and had some conch (pronounced as 'conk') balls with some alligator meat from what use to be Miami and Alligator Ally. As I munched on the delicious food I looked at the clock on the bar's wall and yelped. I had to go to the old Diamond Dust store to pick up some pelts for the mechanical wards of mine. And I was almost late. I paid for my meal with 23 key limes that I had in a bag tied to a belt loop. For a Provence like ours we mostly barter. And I ran as fast as I could to the old store.

When I got there I found something right out of a horror movie. My pelt guy, Don, was murdered. There was a hole where his heart would be and he was hanging by his own entrails in a hangman's noose knot. I ran out and threw up my lunch. When I was done I screamed for the village men who normally clean up after things like this. The men used to be police and we all respected them as the real police instead of Umbrella.

I was in the café part of the bar when I heard Brian walk to me. You can tell when Brian was coming. He had a limp and a cane. "Sorry about Don, Joe. I knew he was a good guy, but these are strange times and no one respects the good fellas." I nodded still in tears as Brian continued, "We found lion pelts, beaver, and all sorts of different furs. All of Don's usual wares were covered in blood and are probably unusable. Whoever did this must have been an Unstable."

I looked up confused… if it was an Unstable then… was Don's sister, Janet, alright? Was she being taken and probably raped? Or did Don sleep with a random girl that just happened to be claimed? Fear for the villages in the Provence flared up. Or was it that we were all going to be claimed… and that's why they switch out the officers every summer.

Because of the emotional stress I had to take a nap. So I napped in the café until I heard a strange noise from the other end of the counter. When I looked over I saw both gifts on the table where my head was just laying. The waitress that Jacky likes to flirt with was pointing and screaming at the gifts.

"They just appeared out of nowhere!" she screamed. Her racket brought the attention from the whole building over to where I was. I paled when I realized that they were addressed to '_Lorelei';_ besides my real name this was the only female name that I am called. And even then it is a hushed whisper from one dear friend. I felt I was going to be sick again. Brian and Bill – one of Brian's sons- walked over to me and looked at the gifts.

"Joe," Bill started to speak while Brian was trying to keep me from running away. "Did you see these gifts before?" I nodded and then immediately I was taken to the basement of the café; for privacy in what will be one of the darkest times in my life. Brian held me while Bill was carrying the gifts. Bill handed the smaller one to me and told me to read the letter. I shook my head.

_No chance in a snowy Miami would I read that letter! _

After an hour of sobbing and fighting the letter away did I finally relent. I knew what this meant. I was going to be claimed. Not to seem selfish, but this took precedence over mourning the death of an old friend and fellow businessman. The letter itself freaked me out. My hands were shaking so badly and I could barely read, but I had to read it out loud. For some reason when a man becomes one of the Unstable he can smell who has read the letter aloud and if the female didn't read it, he would kill whoever did read it.

_Dear Lorelei,_

_You probably don't know me, but I know you. I know you love to sing on the rocks that break the waves at Sunset Park. I know that you don't mind getting your hands dirty when protecting a child. I know that you smell so delectable that I just want to drink you dry. You have been named after the mythical German temptress and so you have become. You stare into the heavens as if that is where you come from. If I were a less learned man I would believe that you came from such places._

_Yet, the fierceness in your eyes has caused to erupt such insanity from my mind. Your ferocity rivals even my own. And thus I will have you. I will take the angry ocean of your soul, tame it, and thus you will be mine._

_You will be forever mine._

_W._

Bill looked pale as I read it. And when I was done crying some more over my freedom he gave me the gift, as if it was my last meal and I was on death row. I looked at the box and opened it and found a golden chain with a note on it.

_To put that purity ring on_

That was it. I became a wild woman. I ran out screaming. I ran outside and ran and ran and ran all the way to the Old Route. I ran for miles until I fell from exhaustion into mangrove branches just under the beginning of the old Seven Mile Bridge. I was in a blank state for the rest of the night. I felt as if my mind was becoming undone. When I fell asleep John found me and brought me back to his house.

**How was that? I know that she doesn't seem as strong as the girl in the summery, and seems like a crybaby, but we are getting there. And the note I know is OOC for Wesker… but I want you to remember… Wesker's viruses are telling him to do things that he would NEVER do. So bare with me… and Wesker will be dropping in to check out the chickie that he claimed.**


	8. Stories and Strange Horsemen

Stories and Visits from Strange Horsemen

Rings, they mean so much to people. They could mean that the love is eternal and that you are getting ready for marriage. They could be a symbol of freedom or status. Or they could be a deterrent and a symbol for a memory. My ring is a symbol of all of that… no one knew it was a purity ring besides family and friends from before The Darkness. So, imagine my horror when I read the second note. Taking the ring off of my finger would be like denying the promise I made to my dad.

_How did he know what kind of ring it was?_

He must have been Unstable for quite a long time. But… usually men who are Unstable go insane after a while; they can't control their viruses… so this guy must be either a good guesser… or the most powerful douche bag of them all.

By the time I woke up from my freak out I was in an old bed. The sheets were red with blue flowers on it. They smelled of tea leaves and spices. I was in my brother's bed, Katie, like Sally, loves tea and my brother always smelled of spices. It was dark outside of the broken window, the stars shining brightly and the moon was almost full casting light into the otherwise dark room. The salty breeze came through the window and landed in my nose.

I was calm. I had an amazing rest and my freak out caused me to get a lot of emotional baggage out. I felt better and seemed to _be_ better. I got up from the bed and put on a new shirt that was on the foot of said bed and walked out of the dark room.

I found Katie making a chicken roast with her four children. Angel, Luke, Mary Ann, and Lorie were all helping with the spices. I smiled at the family; I guess John had yet to come back from Umbrella. Katie looked up and smiled at me and motioned me to go to her.

"I heard that you were claimed. Want to talk about it?" she asked me in a whisper. I smiled and shook my head. I told her that I may want to later, but right now I wanted to keep it on a down low. She nodded and went back to the chicken.

Angel walked up to me and grabbed my hand. I smiled at her and sat down on the ground with her on my lap. Angel was her aunt's little girl and Luke was my little boy. Luke sat down on my other leg and we just sat there in silence. They may be young but my brother's kids knew things. They could tell when something was going to happen or if something already did happen and that you don't want to talk about it.

Lorie and Mary Ann were their parents' kids. Lorie was the oldest and was Sally's daughter. She looked like her too. She had Sally's red hair and blue eyes and her freckles, but she loved Katie like a mother and so she is kind of like a mommy's girl. Mary Ann looked like her father, my brother, and she was quite the daddy's girl.

So, we just all sat in silence and Angel started crying. I looked at her and brought her face to my chest and started humming 'You are my Sunshine'. Luke started cuddling too. This happens whenever someone is claimed. Angel can sense fear easily and is kind of receptive of it. I guess she must have been awake when John brought me in his house.

Luke started falling asleep so I picked him up and walked into his room to tuck him into bed. Angel followed me into his room and just sat down near the door. "Promise me something, Auntie." She demanded in her little voice. I looked at her.

"Tell me what you want me to do and I'll see if I can promise it."

"Don't let him steal you away."

"Who is 'him'?" I asked already knowing the answer. Dang girl had my hearing.

"That man that made you cry… you never cry like that. I'm scared that he will take you away like Jack. Please don't let him get you. I don't want you to go. You tell me stories about how things were once, Daddy don't really talk about the old times like you do. And if you go how will your stories be told?" she finished, her green eyes glowing, angry with the unknown man. How such an innocent child could have such anger is beyond me.

_But, I had that anger once_. I still do. But, she is so young; I didn't get such hatred till I was a few years older. "My story will always be told… maybe you can tell them. I will try not to let him take me. But in a place such as this there are things that we can't control." I had to be honest with her. I didn't want to make a false promise and then break her little heart.

John came back from Umbrella with some bad news. "Joan, I couldn't find the guy who claimed you. None of my contacts or any of their contacts knew who was the Unstable or the Unstable who killed Don." My heart dropped, fear of the unknown was one of the greatest fears of all beings. "But," he continued, "Lots of people there think it was a joke. A really, really sick joke."

"Who would be sick enough to do that? And who would know it was a promise ring?" I asked confused about how the person knew something that not a lot of people knew. He brought me to the table and we sat down talking about how someone may have known. When dinner was ready we all sat down to eat, except for Luke because he was sleeping in his room.

When I was ready to go home I found out that my mom had to work for Umbrella as a nurse again and she would be gone for a few days to a month, depending on the experiments that were going on there. My mom and I are pretty close, but since we are both busy we can barely see each other.

I went back to fixing some horses and concentrated on that for a few days. On the third day after my work binge I woke up to some hammering in my garage. I was sleeping on my bed in the house this time so I was quite startled.

I walked down with a sword that I made in one hand and a taser in the other hand, hoping to catch the person off guard. When I flung open the door I found my regulars (officers from Umbrella who hang out here) fixing my dad's old desk. "Its three in the morning… what are you doing down here?" I asked them, a bit ticked that I was awoken in the middle of the night. I lowered the weapons.

"Orders from higher up, Mr. Johnson." I looked down automatically and saw I was wearing the right bra this time. They knew I was a girl, but sometimes their masks have cameras so they have to be careful what they say. One of them walked up and took my sword and put it against the wall and then proceeded to shoo me out of the room and closed the door behind my back.

I walked back in a bit more ticked and asked, "Oh, on whose authority?" they all stayed still and tensed as we all heard the shuffling of boots from a dark corner of the room.

"On mine." A familiar accented voice said. I looked up to find the weird horseman walking around the mess on the floor as if he owned the place. Because of the dark I couldn't quite make head or tail of the person, but I saw glowing eyes. Red eyes. The way they glowed I could tell that they had sunglasses over them.

"Who wears sunglasses at night in a dark room?" the jab came out of my mouth and into everyone's ears. The eyes glowed brighter and then I was up against a wall for a split second. When my feet touched the ground I couldn't help but taser the guy.

Nothing happened.

He didn't scream or whimper. He didn't yelp or cry out. He just stood there… he didn't even fidget or twitch! I could see the flashes of the Claudia go into his body, so I knew the taser was working correctly.

"Are you done?" he asked impatiently. I glared at him knowing he could see me.

"Out of my house." I commanded as I turned off the taser. He shook his head and walked to sit down on the couch. When he nodded I could tell the regulars started back on their hammering and fixing the desk.

"A 'thank you' would be much appreciated and is quite necessary for me to leave."

I turned and pushed them out of the room; he, however, stayed. "Out." I declared as calmly as I could. He just put his hands behind his head, leaned back, and smirked. I was starting to get angry with him. "What can I do for you, Mr. Horseman?"

He raised an eyebrow at my name for him. "'Horseman'?"

"You had a real horse and you are a man. What else can I call you? Glasses Guy?" I was getting annoyed. He wouldn't leave and I needed to sleep. I had two meetings later today and a special part coming in from the Main Provence early in the morning.

"How about 'Albert'?"

I looked at him weird. I really didn't want to be on a first name basis with this guy. He seemed like the kind of guy that your mother and father tell you not to go to for help when you are a kid… in fact; he seems like the guy that made you need help in the first place. "How about 'leave my garage'?"

"You are very stubborn you know that?" he sighed and tensed for a second. Then he got up and left as quickly as possible. I didn't care why he left so fast, just that he left. I picked up my sword and went back to bed.

By the time I woke up it was nine in the morning. I missed the delivery and half of my first meeting. I went downstairs to get some food to eat and went into my garage and I found that Albert guy there. I sighed and asked, "What do you want now?"

"You're late." He stated with his arms crossed over his chest. I yawned and started to eat my sandwich while I sat on the floor against the wall next to the door. I mumbled something about how he should leave me alone, but he ignored it. "I do believe we had an appointment?"

"'We?' No," I swallowed and continued, "Me and some dude named Whiskers? Yes."

"Wesker."

"Huh?" I looked up to him from my sandwich. "What did you say?"

"The name," he started to say, "It's Wesker."

"Derik wrote it was a 'Mr. Whiskers'." I told him. Derik was my stand in. Poor guy needed a job and really, all he is good at is taking calls when he works here. This Wesker dude's eyes glowed red behind his glasses.

"As I stated before, it is Wesker."

"Sounds like 'Whisker' to me."

"Are you done?"

"What? Is that your catchphrase or something?" I asked with my eyes narrowed. I really wanted to hurt this guy, but he was a superior of Umbrella and I didn't even know how superior he was… he could be the _king_ for all I know! That thought made me laugh… as if this guy was the secret king of Umbrella. And I was the flipping tooth faerie.

"Down to business." He said and he kneeled to me so we were a bit eye to eye. Well… as close as we could be, the guy is freaking tall! "I have a deal for you." I ignored him and continued eating my breakfast. "I will give you my horse if you do one little favor for me."

"No."

"No? Not even interested on what I have to ask you?"

"Not even if you brought my old friends back from the dead." I finished my sandwich and glared at him. I started to stand up and he seemed to have a tiny smirk. As he stood up I walked away to the door and started to open it when I heard the most startling thing ever.

"And what if I could bring back a family member?"


	9. Lots of Strange Going on

Lots of Strange Going On

"What did you just say?" I asked in a hissed voice. This freak of nature thought he could toy with me. Well he was wrong to assume so. My eyes started glowing because of anger. Normally people's eyes glow the color of the iris, but since my eyes are dark brown the whites of my eyes glow instead, making me somewhat blind.

"I can cure your cousin Sarah and take her away from her mate. As well as bring her back here safe and free from harm." I heard from my right. I turned to the voice and tried to punch him. He must have dodged because I only touched air. "If you don't keep your anger in check then I will force you to do the deal and kill your cousin myself."

My eyes glowed brighter hurting my pupils. I yelped and scrunched up my eyes, but it didn't work. I just had to wait for my anger to calm down. As I was breathing heavy so I could calm down and I had my hands over my eyes with them closed; I heard him shift between his feet. When I was calmer I looked and saw him on the couch. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to be my escort for a dinner."

"What kind a dinner are we talking about?" I asked not being able to believe that he would be able to save my cousin Jack. I sat on the ground in front of him. He looked at me and looked away and slightly mumbled something. "What?"

"The kind of dinner that annoys me, woman." He stated with a slight jab at my gender. I shrugged it off and ignored the jab. He crossed his arms and said, "One that you could provide entertainment for in its long boring hours."

"I don't do that sort of thing."

"Not that kind of entertainment… though I wouldn't mind it." He finished up with a smirk. I walked up and tried to hit him. He dodged and grabbed my hand and hit my bad shoulder blade. I screamed and fell to the ground in pain. He was holding me up by my arm. "That was your last chance. Say good bye to your cousin." He let go and proceeded to the door.

"Wait!" I begged at him. "Please don't kill her! She didn't do anything to you. I have just been under horrible stress lately," I knelt down and swallowed my pride, "Please don't punish her for what I have done." Inside my emotions were crazy; anger and hatred toward this man, fear and sympathy toward Jack, and nervousness and pain for myself.

He stopped and listens to my excuses. "That doesn't do anything for you. Will you be ready by next week?"

Next week was the annual celebration of the end of The Great Rebellion. I had to sing and dance. It was part of advertising my business to the visitors from the Main Provence. I get extra business over the next month because of the travelers. It's not something I can stop doing. I made a deal with my uncle Geoff. If he stopped advertising me in front of his superiors at his dinners then I will advertise myself over the course of the celebration.

"I can't. I have to be part of the celebration festival. Otherwise, I would get in trouble." He raised a blonde eyebrow. "Is there anything else I could do for you?" I _begged_.

He seemed to think for a moment and smirked, "If you are part of the celebration, let me watch you dance."

I blushed at the very idea. This creep wants to see me dance? There are some songs that I have to do every year but in one of them, sometimes considered innocent, I have to lift my dress to show my legs and dance around showing flashes of them. I knew I was pretty, because I have been told that many times. But the idea seemed foreign to me. I have been hiding myself from guys for around twenty years. So, the idea of being asked to let some guy watch was shocking and kind of creepy.

He seemed to notice my apprehension and smirked again. "If you don't tell me then I _will_ kill your cousin." He turned to face me and his smirk widened at my blush.

"The songs are Irish." I remembered that a lot of people from Umbrella don't like the jumpy style of the Irish, so I said that in hopes he would change his mind. It didn't work though.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing, I suppose." I whispered with my head hanging down.

"Good. Do we have a deal?" he asked with his hand out, willing to shake on it.

"Yes." I got up and shook his hand. Little did I know that that one word would put me into a world of pain later.

After he left I went to the bar and decided to wait for Jacky to come. He usually rolled into town around a week before the celebration. I really needed to talk to the merchant. He was a close friend and had some simple wisdom that I needed right now. I waited a few hours and he strolled into the bar around noon.

"'Ello, Lorelei. Ah 'eard about Donny. Poor fella." He came into the booth and sat beside me while I cried into his chest. The stress from last night and today finally getting to me. I never cried this much before. But I suppose that when shit hits the fan, it's good to cry. "Ah also 'eard about the sick joke some wankah did to ya. Ya need tah talk about it?" I shook my head in his coat. His coat smelled of gunpowder, oil, and sweat. It was a peaceful scent to me. He seemed like the one person you can always turn to if things went wrong. Well… he was that person to me.

"How are you Jacky?" I looked up to see his red eyes. I could tell he was smiling and I couldn't help but smile back. His eyes glowed with happiness and mischievousness.

"Ah can't wait till the week long partay." He looked at the waitress who came over to get his order. "Beer with a shot of whiskey." She nodded and went to get the order. I looked at him and he said, "Yah look like ya could use a strong drink." I nodded and groaned. I don't get drunk but I feel the effects of the hangover almost immediately after drinking. But I knew that he was right. I could use a drink.


	10. Step it out Mary and to be Claimed

Step it out Mary and be Claimed

The celebration week came quickly. My costume was set. And on the third day I was to go up and sing and dance. Never at the same time of course. I was way too much of a klutz. I had to wear a classic bog dress. Its corset was tight around my chest and I had to wear a bra that showed I was a girl. I had to shave and get ready. I cut my hair and curled it. I was to go on barefoot as usual and I had to dance a bit harder this time.

Uncle Geoff decided to cancel his dinner and take the superiors out to see the celebration for once. I think it was because that he finally heard what happened and is really trying to push for me to be mated. I was very nervous about how I was going to do today. That Albert Wesker guy freaked me out. He had the gall to ask to watch me. I mean, I wouldn't mind it if he just popped up and watched, he just had to ask. To basically tell me that he would watch me.

_Freaking Creeper._

I had to put on my costume and get out there before the time for me to come on stage. I had to get the guys ready. By the time we were ready I noticed my uncle up front with my Aunt Sandy and little Anya.

Then, the first song started for me to dance. I had to dance with Jacky and Bill. It was a tradition for the past ten years.

There were three gypsies coming to my hall door  
Down the stairs ran this lady-o  
One sang high and the other sang low  
And the other sang a Bonny, Bonny, Biscayo

It was up the stairs that the lady went  
Put on her silk and leather – o  
There was a cry from around the door  
She's away with the raggle-taggle gypsy-o

It was late that night when the lord came in  
Enquiring for his lady-o  
The servants said on every hand  
She's away with the raggle-taggle- gypsy-o

0 saddle for me my milk white steed  
Go fetch me my pony-o  
That I may go and seek my bride  
Who's away with the raggle-taggle gypsy-o

0 he rode east and he rode west  
He rode through-the copses-o  
Until he came to a wide open field  
It was there that he spied his lady-o

0 what made you leave your house and your land  
What made you leave your money-o  
What made you leave your new-wedded lord  
To be off with the raggle-taggle gypsy-o

0 what do I care for my house and my land  
What do I care I for money-o  
What do I care for my new-wedded lord  
I'm off with the raggle-taggle gypsy-o

Throughout the song I had to swing my hips and my legs showed. When we were done I had to do the song that used to love, but now I dread: Step it out Mary. The song is about a beautiful blonde haired girl who lives with her father. One day a man comes into her father's house and asks to marry the girl. The girl protests and in the end she must marry the man. At the end of the song she drowns with her lover. The chorus of the song is where I must lift the bottom of the dress and show my legs and dance with them showing.

I felt the horror and the fear as I believe the girl felt when she had to dance in front of her father and a stranger. The superiors were watching and I saw Wesker in there too. I blushed and glared at him and the rest of the men. The locals, who have heard this song before started cheering because they must have thought that the glare was a new part of the show. They must have thought that I was acting.

In the end of the song I had to cancel the rest of the dances and singing. I felt so violated. My uncle just had to bring the extra men over. I didn't mind showing to strangers that I knew I could trust, but having my uncle and Wesker himself looking at my legs… was just creepy.

I know I wouldn't have minded so much if the times never changed; if Umbrella never took over and changed our culture so dramatically. But they did. So, I just had to suck it up and dance. When I left the stage I heard a round of applause, usually giving me a confidence boost for the next year, but this time it only made me ashamed. My eyes cast downward I went to the beach away from the celebrating.

I walked all the way to the water and just walked till it was waist deep. My dress lifted and floated around me. I just stared at the horizon. My feet felt the water and the sand. The peaceful smell of the water helping me calm down.

"_As I went out walking one morning in June,_

"_To view the fair fields and the valleys in bloom,_

"_I spied a pretty fair maid who appeared like a queen_

"_With her costly fine robes_

"_And her mantel so green."_

I started singing silently, remembering when this was a peaceful place. The only rude people were the mean tourists.

"_Says I, "My pretty fair maid, won't you come with me__  
__We'll both join in wedlock, and married we'll be,__  
__I'll dress you in__fine linen__, you'll appear like a queen,__  
__With your costly fine robes and your mantle so green."___

_Says she now, "My Young man, you must be excused,__  
__For I'll wed with no man, so you must be refused;__  
__To the green woods I will wander and shun all men's view,__  
__For the boy that I love dearly lies in famed Waterloo.'_"

I found Katie in the water with me. Her blue dress was floating around her too. She walked over to hug me and I hugged her back. We heard a snap and I looked behind us. I saw one of the superiors from Umbrella.

He was a young looking man with black hair cut in an old emo style. His suit seemed to fit him too well and his blue eyes were glowing in the sunlight. Katie whimpered and held me tighter. She was scared. Did she know this guy?

"My name is Dick," he started walking toward us and stopped just shy of the water. His shoes were combat boots. I thought that was weird. Who wears combat boots with a suit besides me? "And, you both are two lovely ladies."

"One of whom is already mated and the other is the sister of her mate!" I spat at him hoping that the impending death of touching one of us would detour him, but it seemed to make him even more excited.

"I am not here for the mated one." He said simply shrugging his shoulders. Katie and I tensed knowing where this was going. He was going to claim me without being an Unstable. This was bad. This guy was sick; he was going to try to… _NO!_ I shook my head, I wouldn't let this happen.

"Leave us alone! You cannot claim me." I was getting nervous. Katie can't swim as well as I can. I pushed her toward the dock a hundred feet away on the left and she left, understanding to go get help. "Who sent you here? Or do you just like to stalk unclaimed women, you sick freak?"

"You were given to me as a present." He smirked walking into the water despite getting his suit and boots wet.

"Say what now?" I was maneuvering him to where the sink holes are. Living here almost all my life I know where the places to walk and where to swim were. If I could just get his foot into one of those holes he would be stuck till someone helped him get out.

"The village leader gave you to me. Apparently, you are quite a handful for him." He smirked and stopped following me just shy of the invisible holes. "I heard that someone tried to claim you, but you didn't accept it? How are you alive?"

"It was a joke some freak put up."

He seemed to relax at the statement, and I flipped. I should have just stayed quiet and waited for him to take a step. Or at least agreed with the—

A gloved hand was stabbed into his chest through his back behind him. Blood rained heavily out of the wound. His eyes widened and I screamed. Wesker was behind him, his eyes showing for the first time. His teeth were in a smirk and I saw the cat like pupils in his eyes. In my clumsiness I stepped into a sink hole and was stuck.

I saw what only mated women see, a male coming too close to the claimed or mated, and the horror of the male's death. When Wesker knew Dick was healing he pulled out his arm, took out a gun and shot him in between his legs. Blood was pouring into the water, making it look like someone spilt red paint into the sea. Dick was screaming and begging for mercy.

I was trying to get away when I saw Wesker rip off one of Dick's arms like tissue paper. The blood and muscles were spilling into the water and I couldn't look away. Dick's body wasn't shutting down yet, he was still alive. I started crying and begging for Wesker to stop, but he just looked at me and smiled with bloodlust.

My leg was stuck and it hurt to be pulled but I couldn't feel the pain, I just wanted to leave; I just wanted to not see this horror. And to get away from here. But I couldn't, I was stuck. Wesker threw the arm away and it floated still twitching. I couldn't help but feel sick. The screaming didn't stop until Wesker put his hand to Dick's mouth and whisper, "You have tried to take something from me."

Dick's head shook and so did mine. _I'm not his, I'm not his._ "She wasn't claimed!" he screamed. Wesker snapped and started to break every bone in his body. I heard every scream and every crack, before Wesker got tired of hearing him living.

Wesker ripped off Dick's head with his bare hands. I screamed some more before my voice broke. When he was done with the carcass he threw it across into the ocean and fixed his hair. His blonde hair turned a bit red with the blood of the man he just slaughtered. "She has been claimed." He stated to no one.

He looked at me and smiled.


	11. Figuring Things Out

Figuring Things Out

_I have been claimed._

_Oh shit… I have just been claimed!_

I heard splashing in the water, but I couldn't look away from the bloody man in front of me. He was still smiling in a way that doesn't look like a smile. More like baring his teeth to show dominance. I didn't understand, usually a girl is claimed by taking a gift… oh shit… the necklace chain. Was that his gift?

But he didn't even get into town until a few weeks after Jacky called me 'Lorelei' for the first time in a year! Unless, he was stalking me for a long time. But, then, how could he still be sane? He must be infected because of his eyes… well… I was infected too. Most humans are. Well… how could he still be as sane as he is now?

Was he one of the more powerful people? Rumors that my brother had heard were that some Umbrella higher ups had injected themselves with a specific blood sample from some guy that had control over the viruses in his bloodstream. The rumor also said that they tried to use the blood to control their own viruses. Was Wesker one of them?

I felt a hand on my leg and I screamed again. I fought with as much energy as I could get from the adrenalin that was seeping into my blood. The monster that was once in front of me was under water, trying to pull my foot out. It felt like he was dislocating my ankle… and maybe he was. My adrenalin crashed and I felt like I was Sleeping Beauty, ready to take a nap.

I heard screaming and I looked to the shore and found Anya, Katie, Angel, and John. The girls were crying and screaming for me to get out of the water. I saw through glazed eyes that John was running through the water trying to get to me, his green/yellow eyes ablaze. Wesker was still underwater trying to pull me out of the hole, unknowingly doing a lot of damage in the process.

John dove in and ripped him off me. Katie ran into the water and started to dig me out while John was trying to beat up Wesker. My brother, ablaze with the primal urge to kill the one who scared and hurt his little sister was doing quite well, compared to how Wesker annihilated Dick so easily. Wesker just dodged or took his hits. His usually pulled back hair was resting lazily on his face. The blonde strands were dripping salt water into his eyes. Despite that it didn't look like he cared. Wesker seemed to have the upper hand but he didn't use it to his advantage. He didn't try to lay a hand on John. And for that I was thankful.

I heard Angel scream for me and I woke up from my mental cage-like comatose state thing. I got up and ran to her. I hugged the both of them, but they were still screaming, looking at me like I was a monster. Katie grabbed me and gently put me on the sand and started to wipe my face with the bottom of her soaking wet dress. I had blood all over my face, and I just hugged _children_.

I was hugged by Katie and warily the two girls started to hug me too. The grunts and punching sounds started to go down as we noticed more people from the village were coming over to us. I saw Jacky look at Wesker and then he looked at me. I nodded my head and he ran over to us. He gave me a loaded gun and then disappeared into thin air with a wave goodbye. Umbrella was still looking for him it seemed and since Wesker was a superior, Jacky had to go. At the very least I assumed so.

Wesker must not have noticed him because he was still dodging the kicks and punches of John and didn't follow Jacky. Women from the village and some from the Main Provence crowded around me and took me away quietly. It seemed that they noticed something I did not. As I was being carried I saw that Katie was crying silently.

No one's POV

As John was fighting Wesker, Wesker was slowly tiring the young man out. He dodged the punches and kicks in the sand in ways that made John use up more energy to try and get to him than it would have been if they had been on regular pavement. Wesker was getting fed up with the younger man and decided to round house kick him in the head, but before he could extend his leg from his knee the village men crowded around and started to grab at him.

Wesker didn't quite know what was going on. Where he lived in Umbrella's headquarters claiming was a simple job. You stalk the girl, take the girl, rape her, give her a gift, and you were mates. Here it was all backward. You stalk her, give her a gift, wait for her to receive it, she fights, and this whole big mess comes up and you can't get the girl. _What is wrong with these people?!_ He thought_. What do I have to do now? Meet the parents?_

All the village men had to pull John away from Wesker and Wesker away from John. Wesker was so close to just leaving the young woman, he had promised to free, to rot with her new mate. He just wanted the girl. Why did she have to have a job that made her important to the community? Why did she have to be so close to the people living here? Why did she have to have _living_ relatives? Oh all the annoyances, living relatives were the worst.

Wesker just wanted to go back to work- experimenting on people, killing the random subject who annoyed him, or just watching the Rebellion suck at breaking his defenses. But no! He had to see a security video of a random operative's helmet, just so he could be bored enough to sleep that one night.

That's when he saw her for the first time. She was wearing no bra; her breasts were being singled out by the wind blowing through her shirt. Her blonde hair was blowing in the wind as well and her bare feet were bleeding as she walked with the operative who was filming this sequence from his helmet. She was smiling and laughing with a child in her hand. She was talking about something with the officer whose helmet this feed came from.

They were talking about the fish in the ocean. She was giving him tips about where to look out for barracuda that would take his catch. What the hell were barracuda? Her dark brown eyes interested him. He knew it was the viruses. They had picked out a mate for him, and he didn't want to be distracted by the idea of having a woman around. He learned his lesson with Excella and Ada. True, he needed them, but having good looking women around a guy can be quite distracting, even though they were not his type… especially Excella.

He couldn't take his eyes off the woman before his eyes on the screen. Her bottom lip had three cuts and they started to bleed as she laughed again. He knew she could feel the annoying pain of bleeding feet and lips. But it seemed like she didn't care. Despite feeling any kind of pain, she seemed to still be able to laugh and entertain herself. Watching the video that night sparked a month of constant thoughts of the unnamed girl and the hardening of his member every time said girl popped up in his thoughts. And after said month of rubbing the bulging member raw, he decided to get rid of said distraction. If his viruses wanted her so bad, they can have her as long as it takes away this problem.

His thoughts were interrupted when he was being pulled away the young man that tried to attack him; said something about blood in the water and the sounds of his sister's screams. When he was finished telling the story of how his mate and wife had come to him explaining what happened he went to save his sister.

"I saw him pushing her deeper into the sink holes! He wanted to drown Joe!" the young man yelled out in anger as he fought against the men that were trying to keep him from bashing Wesker's head into the large palm trees behind them.

"I was trying to save her." Wesker stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I saw you pushing her leg down!" John's eyes flashed a neon green yellow. He pointed his finger at Wesker. The men quickly pulled his arm down and put it behind his back.

"I was trying pulling it out." The crowd got silent, some men got angry.

"Are you new around here or something?!" a voice from the back of the mob shouted. Wesker sighed, not seeing a how this would make a difference, but nodded all the same. Murmurs went through the crowd. _Is it so obvious_? Wesker thought to himself.

"Why was there blood in the water then? And if you're not that Dick guy where is he?" John asked. When he was done with the second question the arm that Wesker ripped off was spitted out by the tide and landed on the shore. A man noticed it and brought it over to the crowd.

"Does that answer the question?" Wesker asked a bit annoyed at the issue of losing sight of his intended mate. John looked down, almost ashamed that he had attacked his sister's savior. A dumb, foolish savior who was only making her problem worse; but he was a savior none the less.

Joan's POV

I was staring at the loaded glock as a woman named Maggie was bandaging up my ankle. Wesker pulling at it had sprained the joint. I would have to walk with crutches and wouldn't be able to ride a horse to get anywhere. I wouldn't be able to go swimming either. Basically, I would be bored for the next three days.

I still couldn't believe that Wesker dude had claimed me. I thought it was a joke. Silly me for not thinking I had a psychopath on my tail. Already I was wallowing in self pity. The women were very nice and helped me into warm clothes and started cooking dinner. Apparently they had decided that I was the hostess, but they were doing all the work. I grinned as I smelled all kind of foods that I remembered from my childhood. Slovak soups and pastries, Irish stews, Austrian delights, and German sausages were being cooked.

I later found out that they found my families' old cooking books in one of the pantries. They also brought their own ingredients from the Providences that they all traveled from. I felt as if I was back home in the time before Umbrella. Even though I live here, and it was home once, this place isn't the home it once was.

I felt safe with all these women talking, gossiping, and just hanging out. We laughed about stories each one of us shared, they gossiped about rumors that were going on in different Provinces, and all shared with each other how they found their mates or how they avoided finding them. Some were married by choice and others were not.

We all were talking about our childhoods when Wesker came through the front door with my brother. We all went silent. When a woman is injured and she isn't married or mated the women of the village look after her. Everyone has a turn. Close male friends and relatives are allowed to come in, but only getting permission first. The fact that my brother brought in a man that I didn't know well was almost a taboo. It was for the injured woman's safety. Unknown men cause trouble.

As soon as I saw Wesker I put three bullets in his chest, one in his groin, and one in-between his eyes. The only one that he reacted to was the crotch shot. He started kneeling and grabbing his junk and groaning is slight pain as it healed. John looked at me, knowing that I had something to say. I don't shoot men without reason.

"Basterd claimed me. And he just. Won't. _Die_!" I yelled irritated that Wesker didn't leave me alone. As Wesker's healing ability kicked in, my brother was shocked. His little sis was claimed. She may be taken and never seen again. That got him scared. Ever since Dad died and Mom was experimented on by Umbrella and brainwashed by them, he and I have been together all the time.

I was still trying to shoot the man even with the clip empty. The women consoled me and took the gun away slowly. Some of the women who understood what was going on went to Wesker and helped him go outside, wanting to talk to him. The other women who understood what was going on crowded closer to me and tried to comfort me more. I felt that I was surrounded by mothers and grandmothers. I probably was.

My brother started to sit down next to me, but was pushed off by some women. I then had to get them to trust my brother again. Since he had brought the man that claimed me, I guess he was in the hot seat, so to speak.

When I finally was able to have them trust him he sat on the floor beside me. While the women talked and laughed we just stayed silent, enjoying each other's company. He had that sorry look on when I tried to see said face. I knew he was sorry for bringing Wesker in here; John probably thought he was my savior and wanted me to officially meet him. I nudged him on his shoulder basically saying it was ok with me and that I forgave him. John looked at me and smiled, understanding that he was forgiven.

No POV

Wesker was still in a whole lot of pain when he was dragged by some women outside near the stables. They waited patiently for him to recover, but he was still pissed at the gall of that girl to shoot him in his crotch. He hasn't been shot there since the Redfields had found him after he took back Umbrella. Pain as this would be impossible to forget. When he finally had the ability to stand up again the women surrounded him. He was very impatient with them and wanted them to hurry up with their reason behind taking him away from the girl his viruses desperately desired.

"Young man, you have claimed a spitfire of a woman. I hope you have the patience of a big cat. You're definitely going to need it." The leader of the women had said. She had grey hair in a long ponytail. The wrinkles on her face showed that she was another survivor. He raised an eyebrow for her to continue. "My boy, you are going to have to court this woman if you want to stay away from the same pain you have just experienced today."

"I can handle myself."

She laughed at him when he said that. She _dared_ to laugh at her leader. He was going to kill this woman when she was done making her idiotic point. "That was what my mate said before I cut off his junk fourteen times, he still healed though." She said with a smirk. "Just a little advice, if you take this girl, no matter _how_ powerful you are, she will find ways to make you pay. Girls like us are resourceful that way." He was about to say something rude before she interrupted him, "My mate had to learn the hard way. For women like her or me we have to be courted… we have to be shown that it is our choice. You must show her that she has a choice… and don't corner her… or you will never hear the end of it. So, really, teach her that you can be trusted."

He started thinking about what the woman said. He was good being manipulative, but he still wanted some fight in her. He liked the spark of anger in her dark eyes. He especially liked it when her anger got so out of control her glowing eyes made her blind. He nodded at her and decided to try it her way. He really didn't want to feel his crotch being shot again.

**How was it? I tried to keep him in cannon, but it is hard to still fit the story's turn of events with him in cannon. Like how would he be able to get into the problems if he is still cannon? But then, he could just blame it on his viruses.**


	12. Trying to Gain Trust

Trying to Gain Trust

This was harder than he thought. All he usually needed to do to gain trust was having a specific role to play. For STARS it was simple, be a hero and a leader. For Excella, whatever he did, he shouldn't kill her till her time was up. And Umbrella just needed him. They didn't trust him. But, having a person that he was going to have to have trust him for himself was annoying, especially when his viruses made him think things that were distracting.

Lorelei was a girl that kept him on his toes. She was demanding and a wild woman one moment and the next she was just a girl, submissive and obedient. The next thing she would be is annoying and smirking as if knowing what he was thinking. He hated being tested, and she was testing him without even being near him! He didn't know that her name was Joan. He only heard her being called Lorelei, and he decided she would be _his_ Lorelei when he heard it.

He wanted to just barge in and take what his viruses required, but he couldn't. She was heavily guarded and he didn't want to kill some of his few subjects, if any. He could hear her laughter from out here. The women that were crowding him decided to let him think and went back inside the already crowded house. He wondered why her foot was bandaged when he was only trying to pull it out of the hole. Did he pull too hard? Did he snap a tendon? Not like he worried for her. He could tell her healing factor was slow, but it was strong. If it was a tendon then he would be able to walk back in the house within a week; however he felt that he couldn't wait that long.

He supposed that he could just wait for her to get bored and come out of the house. But he didn't believe that she would do that, she may be stubborn but is she really _that_ stubborn? He didn't know. He only stalked her for a few months on and off. She had shown nothing that would insinuate that.

He was getting frustrated with himself. He the Great King Albert Wesker was just distracted by a strange, country girl. Well, the way her attitude was kind of implied that she spent some time in the city, but her obvious love of nature showed that she really spent more time in the country… or near this place. He started hearing music from the house. He could hear her singing a song that he heard once before, "I'll Tell Me Ma." He named the song out loud.

"One of her favorites. Our grandmother used to sing it in the kitchen and would dance to it." He heard from his left. The young man that he was fighting was there with two plates in his hands. "Names John Johnson. Yours?" he asked while he handed one of the plates over to Wesker.

"Albert Wesker." He nodded thanks at John and took the food. There was a pastry on it, a small one with poppy seeds inside. "What is this?"

"Old Slovak family recipe… poppy seed pastry, is what we call it. We don't know the real name for it… sorry about the small cut. Joe did it as a begrudgingly sorry. She is still ticked at you for claiming her." John offered him some more and Wesker took it. "Joe won't really want to tell you about herself at first. She doesn't trust people easily. Ever since she was a kid trust has been hard for her. And, man, you got your work cut out for you. I'm telling you." He paused to eat some more of the poppy seeds. "Anything within reason I'll tell you. Just ask."

"Why doesn't she trust easily?" the fact had peaked his interest. She seemed very trusting to strangers when he was stalking her. She usually had a smile on her face and a laugh on her tongue.

"When she was a kid, before Umbrella, she was isolated from people her age by her classmates. She, especially, can't trust girls easily." He smiled as he remembered something funny, "It took her forever to trust Katie and even Sally. She would just stare at them and try to disgust them at first. Then she would be silent for a long time."

"Luckily, I'm not a woman." Wesker tried to joke. He felt relaxed by the presence of the younger man. It was his viruses realizing that this man was related to his intended mate. John smirked and continued to eat in slight silence waiting for Wesker to ask another question. "Why is her alias named Joe if her name is Lorelei?"

"Her name isn't Lorelei."

"What is it then?" he was interested to say the very least. John shook his head and said that he would have to find out himself. They heard a low-whistle and a tin flute playing Celtic music.

"King of the Faeries." John answered Wesker's confused face. "My sister loves her Irish heritage. She says it's easier to sing and play then our other ones." Wesker nodded still slightly confused and continued to eat. They sat in silence listening to the music and laughter from inside.

"Are your gatherings usually like this?"

"No, if Joe had a choice she would have more men there than women."

"Why? I thought if she can't trust easily, wouldn't she prefer a woman's company than a man's? Or is it just because that she is claimed now?"

"She trusts men easier than women. Less stress or so she says."

Wesker nodded at the strange thought process. Ada and Excella both preferred women's company to a man's. This Joe is very strange. She seemed almost backward. "Is Katie your mate? Who is Sally? A sister?"

"Katie is my mate, yes, but Sally was my late wife. She died during the Rebellion." John said a bit sad at the end. "Katie has an opposite personality than Joe's. Ironically, Katie is younger than Joe."

"How old is Joe?"

"Technically, she would be in her late thirties. But, as you know, she should be in her twenties now. Why?" John looked at him. The wind blew through the grass in front of them. Random parts of horses were lying around, broken off, probably.

"Curious." Wesker stated. He knew what would be the next question. "I'm almost in my nineties, before you ask."

"How are you so young then? I mean, I was in my late twenties when the Darkness came."

"I was thirty-eight when I died for the first time. I haven't aged since."

John nodded at the statement. It was strange, but he had heard stranger, after all, he worked for Umbrella. "You are a Superior in Umbrella Joe said. How Superior are you? An old experiment turned for the cause, perhaps?" Wesker smirked at the questions. This John is very smart to have figured this much about him.

"I was an experiment, but not like that. I am a Superior, but how high I am is classified."

John nodded at the brisk answer. He got up and offered to take Wesker's plate. Wesker let him, but before John left he stated that Wesker should bring her a gift. To use as an excuse to apologize for hurting her and to get into the house.

This seemed to be a good idea for Wesker. But what should he get her? He noticed she loved weapons, he saw the condition of the sword, especially blades. Should he get her a hunting knife? Maybe she wouldn't like it… maybe a kitten? Girls like kittens right? Right?


	13. Children and I Dont Get Along

Children and I don't get along

Angel's POV

Angel was playing tag with her brother and sisters at her aunt's house while her aunt was hurt. Angel knew who hurt her aunt. It was that evil man with the red and yellow eyes. She already wanted to kick him in the shin and dance on his corpse. She thought that if she kicked him in the shin enough he would die… ah childhood. Her aunt was singing a song that was about an Irish Rover… whatever that is.

Auntie watched them run around the house; she laughed with them and on occasion would chase them with her crutches. Auntie Joe was awesome; she would play with them and dance with them. Angel hoped that the man with the red and yellow eyes couldn't see how awesome her aunt was. Maybe he would be bored with her and then leave her alone. Angel wanted a prince to come out of the stories her dad and aunt told her about before bed, and come and marries her aunt. Maybe then that scary man wouldn't hurt Auntie Joe.

No one's POV

Joe was out of breath and was limping to her couch to lie down before a knock was at the door. Joe groaned and walked to the door to open it, but she smelled something, it smelled like rain. _Oh crap._ "Whoever you are, you're going to get wet soon." She said about to look into the peep hole.

It was a dog. Joe screamed and backed up against the wall on the other side of the room… after she tripped over the couch. Angel came in worried for her aunt; she opened the door and found a puppy outside on the porch. She grinned and went outside to play with it. When she picked it up she closed the door to the house. Joe was still hiding behind the couch and was shaking when she saw her brave little niece take the monster and leave with it.

Angel was playing with the little, white rascal when the man she hated came over; the same one that claimed her aunt. He was wearing a black cotton long sleeve shirt with black jeans. His combat boots stomped loudly under his weight. _Pure muscle_, Angel thought. _Dangerous to the very core._ Her gut echoed in her thoughts.

"Why are you here, Mr. Glasses Guy?" Angel remembered that was what her Aunt used to call him when she was complaining to her daddy about this man. He didn't have any glasses on so it was funny to her that her aunt called him that name. He raised his blonde eyebrow as if he didn't understand something. "You like my aunt, right?"

Wesker knew the little girl was related to his Lorelei. He nodded. "Yes, I have already claimed her." He hoped the little annoyance would go away and leave the dog there. It was his apology gift to Joe. The little girl came up and spat at his shoe. She tried to kick his shin. Then he just found her entertaining… really, a child, a female one at that was trying to hurt him by kicking his shin. "Are you done?"

"Auntie said you say that a lot." She stopped kicking him and glared up at him. "Is Becka for her?" Angel had already named the dog Becka. Funny part is that it was a boy dog. At asking the question she raised the puppy up.

"Yes."

"You're not very smart, are you?" Angel asked him. His eyes started glowing in exasperation. Really, why is everyone asking him that here? He is a genius! "Auntie hates dogs. She was attacked by one, so she doesn't like them at all. If you knew my aunt you would have gotten her something else. So, I'm keeping Becka, good bye." At that the child walked away to her own house.

_She is definitely related to Lorelei_. Wesker seemed amused at the child before he saw Joe outside the house in her crutches and was laughing at him. "What is so funny?" he asked with a smirk, maybe if he can get her to laugh she would feel easier around him and trust him quicker.

"Just the fact that my little niece told you off. That's what's funny!" she laughed harder at him. "John told me that you wanted to me a gift. I didn't know you were planning on giving me a heart attack." She was wearing a blue shirt with a phrase 'Hey! Listen!' on it. It had a light blue ball with wings on it. She was wearing light blue shorts. He could see a long, ugly looking scar on it; puncture scars surrounded the longer scar. She looked down to where he was looking. "Neighbor's dog broke the fence and attacked me."

"I apologize, I didn't know, I wouldn't bring a dog if I knew."

"I know."

There was an awkward silence. They knew that the only reason he was here was his viruses wanted her. She would never come willingly, and they both knew it. So here was the thing, they had to learn to live with each other.

"So, what was that whole thing with Angel?"

"Children and I don't get along."

"Not a kid person?" she walked over and brought a couple of chairs from the side of the house so they could sit together. "I don't trust you, nor do I like you. But I promised my brother I would try to not shoot you in the balls again and try to be civil towards you, but remember, I'm doing it for him."

"I understand." He said when he finally sat down. He was a bit confused at what brought her new cold attitude. He was never really good with women, usually all he needed to do was just imply he wanted to sleep with them and then they would do whatever he wanted. This woman was different. Well… to be fair, the situation they were in was different.

"I hope you don't mind rain." She said as she opened an extra roof over to where they were sitting. He was confused, rain? It was a clear day, not a cloud in the sky. When he said this she laughed again. "You really aren't from around here are you?"

"Why does everyone ask that?"

She put her crutches down and relaxed in the seat. "You kind of make it obvious. I know you are a very smart man, that's obvious, but pulling at a foot that was too deep in, out of a sink hole? Not smelling the obvious rain? Wearing black in summer… well, that is something that locals do, because we are used to the heat. But the rest of what I just said makes it a bit obvious."

He nodded, it seemed as though ever since he took over the world times have changed, but in ways that he didn't think that it would. He didn't know that women would be disappearing and men would go mad at the sight of a specific female. He wasn't sorry for what he did. He just didn't care as much anymore.

"I'm not apologizing for shooting you, either." She said with a glare. There was thunder and she tensed up a bit. "Told you there would be rain."

He looked at her and nodded. This place seemed much different in real life than on the computer, where he got his information about this place. He had never heard about a place where the locals can tell when it will rain before a cloud comes into the sky.

Joan was at a stalemate with herself. She really didn't like this situation that is her life now. She didn't want to be claimed by a Superior in Umbrella, but she was. She really didn't want to know this man, but she has to learn. She really didn't want to leave this place, but she may have to. And most of all, she loved her brother. She couldn't abandon him, but, she couldn't say no to him either. He made her promise not to fight him, and she wants to, she wants to so bad. But since she promised, she will honor her oath.

As the rain pelted down onto their make shift roof Wesker felt relaxed for the first time in ages. He had a beautiful woman nearby, he had taken over the world and said girl was smiling. Wait… what?!

He did a double take, Joan was smiling. Her eyes were closed and her hair was falling out of its black band and blowing in the gentle breeze. The fishing hook in her ear sparkled and the purple feather earring was caressing her venerable throat. Her lips, true enough, had a relaxed smile on them. It was strange and somehow calming to him.

"This is my home." She started to say, "In this place I feel at peace. Please, don't take me away from here…. Please."

Wesker felt uneasy. True, the clone of Birkin, that he made, was doing a great job in being in charge of Umbrella while he was away, but he still needed to return to HQ when he was done here. He can't concentrate on anything without Joan nearby. So, he would need her there with him. She had yet to find out that he was the king. He knew that when she found out she would be devastated.

He could tell she was the kind of girl that only wanted a peaceful life, but adventure continued to burst in. after talking with John he found out that she helped when brother through being an Unstable, as much as she could. She helped with all the late night sicknesses, the dreams and nightmares, and the stalking. She hated it, though, but she still helped out of love for her brother.

The only other person that he knew of that was a sister and would do something like this was Clair Redfield. Over the years he and the Redfields have slowly and begrudgingly 'buried the hatchet' so to speak. Chris and he didn't get along, but Wesker still needed them alive. The Redfields kept him in line so that the survivors would still live. And he made sure the Redfields didn't get wiped out by his more radical followers. He and Claire got along somewhat… as much as they could. Not like they were friends.

Snapping out of his thoughts he noticed that Joan's chair was closer to his than before. They were both facing the destroyed buildings and the rain. But she was closer to him. She was getting used to being in his presence and was trying to get used to being around him physically. Not wanting to ruin the moment he stayed silent.

Joan had unconsciously scooted closer to Wesker. She loved the rain. She assumed that Wesker did too since he was just hanging out with her and being silent. From her cold anger to a relaxed truce it was a precious moment for the both of them before the fighting began. Wesker wondered if it was the rain at brought this side of her.


	14. Christmas Special New Chapter

**I would just like to say that I'm sorry for the wait, and that this isn't much, but a special. I would also like to thank the followers and the reviewer and the thousand people who have read this. These traditions are based on some of my own, yes, I am Slovak. Only a fourth, really. But these times are some of the best times of my year. My older brother wrote a small paper on the soup that will be mentioned and it got published! I'm so proud of him. My Slovak side of the family is Catholic and to be honest most of the Slovak traditions are based on Catholicism and some of its traditions, as with some traditions that my family has added over the years. I will warn you that there will be some Bible referencing here. If you feel offended, I really don't know why you are reading this. And all flames mentioning my family's religious views will not only be deleted but also flagged and reported. Anyway on with the chapter/Special!**

Christmas Special: Guess Wesker Really is a Man.

_Funny things always happen with the Johnson's family on Christmas. For the past twenty years the traditions that have been past down generations have continued, even when the only people who still can celebrate it are little in numbers. They had the whole Slovak tradition, only no bacon… much too some other families' disappointment and confusion. Laughter and joy would make a sad and depressing place a haven for the family. _

_This year, some things have changed, for instance, Joan has been claimed and thus, the man who now has her can choose if he wants to join her in her family's tradition, much to the amusement of her family. The man named Albert Wesker has chosen to visit and try to at the very least gain some trust by eating the foods she loves with the people she loves. Let's all wish him some good luck in his doomed venture._

Palm trees were lit up in red and green lights as they swayed in the wind. Laughter and children's squeals were everywhere as Albert Wesker walked with Joan to her Uncle Peter's house. Joan had on a green sundress on with purple and red striped jeans and she was barefoot as usual. Her Glock was in a secret pocket inside her dress. She had a Santa hat on and had snuck behind Wesker and taped a paper that said 'I'm a Scrooge.' on his back earlier. Joan had a huge nut roll on a tray in her hands. And a guitar case strapped to her back.

Wesker had in his hands a large laundry basket filled with ingredients, pastries, and other things. He could smell sweet things and bitter food; some of the bitterness hurt his sensitive nose. He had on a black shirt and dark green jeans (he only wore them because John said that Joan liked different color pants… Wesker just didn't know how much she liked them). When he looked to her he could tell she had something in mind… something that probably meant that he would feel pain later. It made him feel the slightest nervousness in following the road to her family's house.

Joan was a bit annoyed that Wesker had shown up in her garage for the past week straight. She wanted to keep him from seeing her happy and with her family. She was stubborn and so was he; the difference between them was that he had connections. He had befriended her brother and gotten himself an invite. _Damn basterd_. So now she had him as her pack mule and she couldn't wait to show him all the horrors of her family. Maybe when her family got to him, he would run away from here. Only, she knew that he would never run. He had already told her that he 'enjoys a well deserved challenge'. And he didn't seem the kind of man to run away when given food.

"Joan," Wesker started to warn when he saw her little cousin Anya and niece Angel aiming something. He was about to push her away and grab his gun, but he saw it was just the two girls. Joan ignored him and continued to walk, only to get a walnut thrown into the face.

"That's for bringing him!" Angel screamed. Joan looked at her and laughed, soon the girls were laughing together. Wesker was confused for a bit, was this part of the traditions John had warned him about?

"Get out of there, you little imps!" Joan laughed and pretended to shoo them out of the sea grape bushes. "What would our aunts think if you wasted all the walnuts throwing them at the wrong person or place?"

"They would blame you and the new comer!" Anya said with a little giggle. Angel started to nod her head in agreement when Joan laughed again. It was a hearty, belly laugh; something Wesker had never heard from her. "Mister, are your eyes really like a snake's?" Anya walked up to Wesker and asked. Angel and Joan paled and stopped laughing. Wesker however nodded and put down the basket and took off his glasses. "Joe loves snakes! Joe, don't you like his eyes?"

"No."

"You're lying!"

"You're wasting time! The first star will be out in a matter of an hour and you are asking strangers about their eyes. Don't you want to find the first star so we can all eat?" Joan scolded as she was blushing. It was true that she loved snakes and most animals, so when she first saw his eyes she couldn't help but have a bit of physical attraction to him. Not because it reminded her of snakes, but because it was different. Not many men had eyes like that, or when they did they had pupils that reminded her of the Al Bed; a race of people from a video game that had swirls in their eyes for pupils.

Seeing the woman blush gave Wesker a slight confidence boost and some extra for his male pride. He couldn't help but smirk as he put his glasses on and picked up the basket. The younger girls were running in front of them and laughing. Joan was still blushing and smiled as she looked at the children.

Some women were shaped to fight, some were shaped to study, and others were shaped to breed. Joan had the curves for a mother, and she acted like one many times. She also had the stature of one of study and one to fight. She was an anomaly that he couldn't wait till he found out a way to make her his. He also couldn't wait till he had her with a child of his on her hip. He would have had many 'incidences' the past few days if it hadn't been for Birkin who gave him a slight nullifier for his viruses, mostly for this special occasion.

As they walked some more Joan's blush went down and she started humming 'Little Drummer Boy'. She had totally forgotten that Wesker was there, over the past few months he has gotten used to her forgetting things which turned out to be normal for her. It worked to his advantage when he wanted to study her. She fascinated him. Now he hoped that he would be forgotten by her so he could see her as she would be if he wasn't there, and she was surrounded by family.

He never really had a family to spend Christmas with, the only times that he had anything remotely close was Birkin and STARS, but both times he felt like he was intruding. With Birkin, who he treated like a brother, he felt less intruding and more like he _almost_ belonged there. But with STARS, he defiantly knew that there was something wrong. He never really liked Christmas, never understanding the whole hype it got. Maybe this time he could understand what some people thought about it.

Joan must have remembered he was there finally and stopped, waiting for him to catch up. When he did in a few of his long strides she continued walking at his side. Silence was with them until they reached a house that was three stories tall and had a candle in every window. Joan's eyes lit up and a grin broke on her face.

"Joe's here!"

The scream could be heard a mile away by a deaf man. Wesker had almost dropped the basket to cover his ears. Joan's ear was bleeding a bit, but she didn't seem to be in pain. Wesker was a bit annoyed. He hated loud noises that were unnecessary. They were then crowded by children, all of which, Wesker could tell were related to her. They all took everything from their hands along with the guitar case and ran into the house. Joan was being pulled in by a little boy she called Luke. Wesker could tell the boy was sick and that his virus was mutating, but the boy had many years left before it got out of hand. Wesker felt a little tapping on his leg and saw a little girl patting his knee. "Yes?" he asked as he looked down with a raised eyebrow.

"I am to… escort you to the house, as is tradition." Her two front teeth were missing and she had a little lisp. She held out her hand and he gave her his gloved one. He had to lean down as he walked because she was so short. Joan was at the doorway that had mistletoe on top and she kissed the little boy's cheek and then took it down before Wesker and the little girl got to the door way.

"Welcome. Welcome!" a young woman who had blonde hair said with a gentle voice. She walked over and picked up the little girl from Wesker and she gave the girl a piece of hay. He witnessed the girl squeal and run over to a wooden box –a manger- and put the hay in. All of the children surrounded and tried to count the hay inside of it. They were laughing and giggling.

"Every good deed that a child does will earn them a piece of hay to put in the manger. The goal is to make it as full of hay as possible. Everything that a child does that is against the rules the adult will take two pieces out, until the child has earned them back and they also get a third." Joan explained to Wesker with a smile directed at the children. "We put out the manger after Thanksgiving."

"Why would you do that?" Was this some positive reinforcement thing? He remembered that Sherry Birkin had something similar happen to her, only William would threaten that Santa would put coal in her stocking. Only, that seemed more like negative reinforcement. He never had a kid, so between these two things he didn't know which was better for the children.

She shook her head with a laugh. "It's fun. It gives them a goal and something to earn. Also it gives them _bragging_ _rights_." She smiled as if remembering when she was a child. She giggled when the sickly boy, Luke, started dancing while holding a bunch of hay. Hay that he had earned, which turned out to be the most out of the other children.

Wesker watched as she walked away to sit with the women who were drinking tea or coffee. Laughter was heard everywhere. It was a bit awkward for him just standing there in the middle of the room. Until John popped up out of nowhere in order to give him a greeting.

"So, you came. Merry Christmas, Albert!" John stated with a smile. "You guys missed the announcement: Katie is pregnant again along with my aunt Stacy and my cousin Ingrid. Also thanks for sending Sarah back home to us. It was a bit startling to find out that Joe made a deal with you, let alone keep her end of the bargain." John slapped Wesker's back and took off the paper. Katie came over with some kids following and she brought them both over to a room filled with the older adults.

Joan was having a laugh with some relatives when she saw that Wesker was dragged off by Katie and John. She was a bit relieved; she didn't want anyone to see them together. She remembered that her relatives were around her and jumped a bit. She noticed they were staring at her, Nikki was smirking. Joan really didn't like Nikki, she was a douche.

"Liar, he's hot!" she heard Ingrid state. Ingrid was one of the taller cousins; she was around six foot three. Her blonde hair and blue eyes had got her a mate early. She fell in love instantly with her mate and they already have six kids and another on the way. "Blonde hair, taller than _me_, and colored pants, too! You got claimed by your dream guy." All the women at the table snickered as Joan groaned and pounded her head on the table.

"He is not my dream guy!" Joan groaned out against the table. She knew this would happen. Only, she wished it would happen to Wesker and not her. This happens when one has a big family, and this is only her dad's side. Everyone loves to gossip or talk about each other, it is annoying. Her brother and she made a deal, she had to hang with the women in the next five years and he wouldn't tell the village elder about the noodle incident. _It is so worth it though._ She thought as the women continued to chatter. She hoped that Wesker was having some trouble with her family.

Wesker didn't really mind being here. He was almost enjoying himself. The food was overflowing in the small living room; the people were talking about Joan, some things he could use to manipulate her later. He couldn't help but smirk at the idea that a lot of the information of her would be so easy to find. She usually kept to herself; she made sure Umbrella knew very little about her, and the officers that befriended her have such loyalty it was impossible to gain information. He liked that about her, she could keep quiet and still put up a good fight. Well, against him, no, but against the normal infected men, yes she could fight very well.

A scream tore through the house. Wesker's hand went to one of his guns, when a gentle hand stopped it. It was the young, blonde that he saved. Joan called her 'Jack' but he learned that her name was 'Sarah'. She shook her head and motioned for him to follow her. He got up and found that it was time to eat.

Joan was smiling with Luke on her hip, "Guess who found the first star." The young boy laughed and Wesker saw that he was missing a tooth, one of his canines. Joan kissed him on the cheek and let the young boy go. The young boy ran to a smaller table filled with food, and the younger children were crowded around it. Joan walked over to Wesker and glared him in his eyes, "Douche, you sit over there." She pointed to a seat in the middle of a long table. The table had white, silken linen for a table cloth. The table could sit probably forty people comfortably with still some room for extra people in between the already seated people. His seat had a trashcan near it. When he was staring at the oddity Joan walked over to him, smirked, and challenged him, "If you're a real man, you won't need it." Then she handed him a napkin, "Man or no man, you have to cover your nose since you're not use to the smell," she sighed and continued, "I don't want you to puke or gag in front of my family."

When he didn't she forced it to his face, it smelled extremely bitter, and for a moment he recognized the smell, it was in the basket that he had to carry. He almost gagged for a moment and he realized that she was trying to force him to get use to the smell. After a while when everyone sat down and were done praying, he was used to the smell. Katie walked in with a huge soup pot. She served everyone along with Joan and Ingrid. Ingrid was the one to serve him; whispering support for him to get along with Joan.

He only got a little bit compared to Joan who was across from him. John was to his left and his uncle Keith was to Wesker's right. It seemed that everyone got less than Joan. When he had his first taste, he understood why. _This is disgusting! _And then he realized that the trash can was in case if he threw up. Begrudgingly, he swallowed, and everyone who was watching him cheered except Joan.

"Pay up!" John said to Joan, reaching for what Wesker assumed was money. Sure enough, Joan handed him a few pieces of Claudia in a tiny pink, glowing bag. "Joan, if you spent more time with him, you would know that you shouldn't challenge him if you wanted to win our bet."

"Hlupák!" she spat at him and he laughed and said that she was the fool, not him. After that show of sibling love everyone decided that it was time to eat. He noticed that Joan hurried with hers in a way that seemed as if she actually like the soup. Is assumption was correct when he saw that half of the children walked over to her and gave her their soup and the other half give it to the boy named Luke.

Joan was having a blast. She completely forgot about the annoyance in front of her and she was eating her favorite holiday tradition. They had forgotten the name of the soup, but it was made of bitter mushrooms and veggies. The reason why they have it every year is to remember their family's bitter past and hope for a better future. Her family has been eating this soup for generations. She was the only grandchild of her grandma's that loved the soup; apparently, every generation there is a child that loves the soup. She was the one of this generation, and Luke is the child of his generation. Really, this is an appetizer, and when all the children have finished their bowls, the children can leave and go pick out the presents they want to open, and finish the rest of the meal.

When everyone's bowl was empty, except for Wesker's because he was excused from the appetizer, and every child was back at their table they were able to start the meal. Hand rolls in sauerkraut, hand rolls in poppy seeds, vegetables, and everything that doesn't have meat in it. This was confusing to Wesker; it was strange to him to see a family of infected people shun meat. The viruses needed the protein from meat to help its host survive.

Joan wished for a second that the dinner would be over. She felt that she needed to roam Uncle Peter's meat locker again tonight. Her virus was stronger than others' if a little slow. But the issue with hers is that she needed more meat than other people's viruses. She loved the food, it reminded her of when her mom and dad would sit down with her and John and Sally for Christmas Eve.

She remembered Wesker was in front of her, and thought about what her mother would say. She would say to give him a chance. And it is Christmas Eve. She thought about what she got the kids, and remembered that she destroyed everything that Wesker gave her. However, tonight, she knew he got her something, and that something was probably here, and she promised herself that whatever he got her, she wouldn't destroy. It would be what her mother would have wanted.

After dinner everyone raided the meat locker. Joan decided to have some of the summer sausages. When everyone was dragged to the living room by the children they all started eating the meat. Presents went from youngest to oldest. When all the children were done, Joan got out her guitar case and opened it, mini horses were in it. She programmed them with kind personalities and protective weaponry, in case of an emergency the children would be safe. All the adults laughed at that, of course, Joan would give children guardians.

When it was Joan's time to open presents, she was given three, a giant box wrapped in newspaper, a medium box, and a small box. The medium box was wiggling and she thought that one of the kids put a rat in there as a joke. So, she left that for last. The large box, had a new guitar in there, made by her drunk, yet talented uncle Junior, from her mom's side.

Wesker, who was standing by the fireplace (which was straight across the room from her), saw her smile. And she hugged her brother who was next to her and had ordered it from her uncle. Luke was sitting on her lap when she opened the small box. Inside was a chain with her father's legal graduate ring on it. She started crying and was quickly embraced by her brother and little nephew. "Are you sure?" she asked her brother.

"Very sure, I knew him longer."

She nodded and stopped crying. All that was left was the moving box. She couldn't wait to get the rat and make a pet out of it… and whatever Wesker Douche got her. When she opened the box out popped a little tonknese kitten. It jumped onto her dress and mewed. She was startled and picked it up, "Hello, little one. Where did you come from?" she asked and looked in the box. There was a card inside and she recognized the handwriting to be Wesker's. She read the short card:

_Merry Christmas, Joan, maybe we could start over?_

_Albert 'Douche/Basterd' Wesker_

She smiled at him. _Joan_ was _smiling_ at _Wesker._And suddenly the family caught the slightest glimpse of respect and hope in her eyes. _Maybe this could work out?_ He gave her a kitten of one of her favorite breeds; he obviously looked around for it. If he did that for just a present, maybe, just maybe, he wasn't a bad guy after all. This didn't mean that she trusts him. But maybe she could start.

She picked up the kitten and put it on her shoulder, and when it got a good grip, she walked over to Wesker and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Wesker." she whispered in his ear. She walked back and showed the kitten to the children who were playing with their horses. They fell in love with the kitten. And as she was playing with the kids and the baby cat John gave Wesker a thumbs up with a grin. Wesker nodded his head once in a 'thank you' gesture to Angel and her father.

And that was the Christmas Miracle of year 31 of U.R.


	15. Deals and Deal Breakers

Learning to Trust a Man in that Way

Who knew that a simple gift could change your opinion of a person? Or that a simple exchange could become a sort of peace offering. Joan hasn't heard of that since before the viruses. It made her feel a bit happy… maybe there was hope for her after all. The fact that he works for Umbrella has her very nervous. It was scary in this world, but she wanted to be herself. She couldn't be herself anymore, because of what happened. But maybe, she could learn to be herself with him.

_Oh what am I thinking about? He's Umbrella! A Superior in their ranks! But, I am starting to get interested… oh, Dad, what should I do?_

_**Clang!**_

Her thoughts were interrupted when the she-kitten, Rosie, dropped a wrench from the place on the filing cabinet where she put it. "Rosie! What are you doing up there?" Joan picked the kitten up and put her in her shirt, right in-between her breasts. It was Rosie's favorite place to nap. She could hear and feel the purring. She couldn't help but smile at the happy cat.

Joan POV

I decided to work on Night Wood. She had been flashing the light of purple when I was riding her; purple meant that there was something loose in the right flank. When I opened her up I was surprised by a cat toy that fell out. No one knew how to open and put something in there besides me… wait… Wesker watched me work on horses before. Was he really that quick of a learner? No, it couldn't be. _Ugh, I need a swim._ Almost instantly Rosie mewed and turned over in my shirt. I giggled at the thought of her reading minds. I started to fix Night Wood and close up her flank.

_I will swim after I get my work done._

_**Somewhere in what used to be South Dakota**_

Wesker couldn't believe he was doing this. He rarely visits either of the Redfields, and he only does it when he is desperate. And he's desperate, oh, he is _very_ desperate. And thank God that he isn't so desperate that he would go to Chris. No, he is going to Claire's. He needed advise from someone that would be honest with him whether he liked it or not; and who wouldn't lie just so that he would go away. He and the Redfields had a sort of standstill. He can go to them and they can go to him without expecting violence, but an -begrudging- ear. They would listen to him and he would listen to them if they needed something. After being enemies for so long they have finally 'buried the hatchet' as it were. Although, they still don't completely trust each other.

His sensitive ears could hear the sounds of children a few miles away. Joan reminded Wesker of Claire in a way. They both loved children and wanted to be mothers; and unfortunately, had both shot him in his crotch. He hoped they would never meet, but something told him that they would and he just hoped that he wouldn't be there to see it.

As he was going to her house he was thinking of what Joan had done at the Christmas party. She had smiled at him, a real smile. And she had willingly walked to him and touched him. She had kissed him on his cheek. He had known her and of her for over a year now and she just started trusting him. His virus may start getting out of control if he continues to take things slow like that woman said after he was shot.

He really needed advise. He never really understood her; she was so similar to Claire. All the women he had used were so easy to manipulate into loving him. And Ada, well, just a short implant and she was ready to go. Although Claire just needed a little push or thought into thinking what she was doing was for her brother or a child and she was good to go as well.

As he was thinking on this he spotted a blindfolded red head just south of where he was. Claire was amazing at hiding her scent and existence from anyone, especially any kind of infected. Her brother on the other hand practically screamed his scent and presence. Claire was always had a knack for finding information out that Umbrella was not able to. It was one of the things Wesker needed her for.

"What are you doing here, Wesker?" The younger Redfield asked as she lifted her hands to take off the blindfold. Her blue, swirled eyes had an irritated look in them. Her clothes consisted of a cotton green shirt and brown jeans with moccasins on her feet.

"You know the need for training blindfolded in the woods is nil in your case?" Wesker took off his glasses and placed them on a rock next to where he was sitting. Seeing that he was going to propose a deal or ask a favor she opened the sack she had with her and started to make a fire.

"I always find new routes when I'm training. You know that." when she finally created a spark they sat together across each other from the small fire. It was a kind of ritual to them. If he went to her then they would meet in the forest and would hunt, talk, and share a meal together. It was comforting to the both of them for some reason. Probably because the STARS teams would go camping with their families once a year and Claire and Wesker were both night owls.

"I still don't see how you can find new ones every time that I come in need of your help." He sneered at her thinking she was untruthful. However she smirked.

"And I _still_ can't see how you don't believe me." She stoked the fire a bit more.

"Well, have you ever seen a tree move?" he asked sarcastically as he leaned against the large rock behind him. He wasn't a coward; however, he was having a hard time gathering up his esteem to ask her a favor.

"Touché." She mumbled under her breath. He was the one who taught her about living outdoors. When they would wait to be tired, when everyone was camping, she would badger him about how he knew 'everything about everything' out there; and he would teacher her things even if it was only to get her to shut up.

"How far south east can you travel without giving rumors to the locals?"

The question startled her. She knew that he was going to get to this sometime or another, but it seemed as if this request was brought up both too early and too late. "You know these people, if you sneeze on one side of the village, by the time the news gets to the other side you will have full blown pneumonia; so, not very far, really. Nonetheless, if I have to guess… probably, just to the last clearing for an hour and back. Why?"

He sighed; this was going to be annoying. He didn't want anyone else to know, but, locals spread rumors like wild fire. "I need you to find information about someone for me. Where they live the Umbrella Base that is just north of them seems lazy on collecting information in the past thirty years. This person has almost nothing in the base. Mostly films to be honest." He shrugged his shoulders trying his best to seem nonchalant about it.

"I don't care who it is I will not be part of any blackmail or hiring background checks, you know that." she glared at him.

"She is not one to be hired or blackmailed." He growled out. His eyes glowed in the descending darkness. Claire saw that his eyes held more of an angry fire than the wild fires that happened last month north of what used to be Quebec. His pupils widened in the adrenaline of a soon to be fight.

"'She?'" she mumbled to herself. She remembered rumors that circled the country about a murder south of Florida and a young woman was involved. The same young woman would have an epic summer and stories of that summer still circled. Could he be talking about that girl?

Albert Wesker's viruses were still fighting for control in his mind. Over the past year he had been fighting them over and over again, and every time they got stronger. He had been forced to take nullifiers for the viruses, which was something that he hated. When he finally regained control he noticed that Claire was deep in thought. "What?"

"There were rumors," she began, "Rumors that a young woman was claimed by someone _very_ high up in Umbrella. She lives just south of Florida. Is that this girl?" she cocked her head at Wesker's strange behavior.

"Yes. Her name is Joan Johnson. Here is a photo, its old, but she looks almost exactly alike." He handed her a photo of a young woman, her hair was cropped short in the back and the front was long. The eyes were sad and angry; however the smile she had on was also a real smile. "She lives around Marathon in the Florida Keys. She has a business repairing mechanical horses."

_She repairs Claudia-run horses? _Claire thought in surprise. She would have never picked Albert Wesker's mate as a mechanic_! A scientist or a genius in some area, yeah, but a mechanic?_ _Heck no! _"And you want information on her? I mean, I heard the rumors, this has happened for around a year now," she paused, not wanting to give his viruses a way to get in control. But, she had to ask him; how had he kept his cool for about a year around this Joan? "How come she hasn't 'fallen' for you? Or why haven't you taken what you wanted out of her yet?" when he didn't answer for a while she sighed and asked, "What kind of information do you want on her?"

"Anything you can find out. And what will you ask in return?"

Claire froze for a bit; usually she can come up with something right off the bat. Such as meds for the village, a death sentence for a serial rapist (_it only happened one time and it was probably the right thing to do_), food, or money for the town. Things like that. However, this time she couldn't think of one thing. Not one. The town she lived in was doing very well and so were the rest of the Providences that she had heard of. She sighed again and asked him for a favor.

"What kind of favor?" the question was asked skeptically. It was easy for him to forget she was a Redfield now. She now seemed more of like what he wanted for humanity when he started the viruses. But, he usually remembers quickly. "If this favor has anything to do with the episode that involved your brother and one of my best horses; than the answer is 'no'."

She glared at him with a soft frown, "He said, as best he could, that he was sorry! And besides it was going to give birth anyway. He was just trying to help it along. Moreover, I thought you thrived on science."

"Convincing one of his neighbors to put the man's tentacles in my horse's orifice was not science. If anything it looked like a disturbing orgy of some sort."

Claire laughed at that. Well he got her there. It did look disgusting, but that was the miracle of childbirth. None of the men or her had arms thin enough to see how far long the foal was. "Yeah, it was pretty gross. And with your question, no, it doesn't have anything to do with that. No, what I want is one free favor. When I come up with something, you'll do it then. Okay, deal?"

"Deal."

**Sorry for such a long wait. I have been busy with being grounded and looking for a job. Thank you for all the favorites and reviews! Hopefully the next chapter will be a bit saucy! Also, as the readers, I would LOVE to know how I can make it better… so review with scenes that you want to see or suggestions! PLEASE! And you can tell me what to write and I will try to get it down…**

**So long till next time!**

**Moon**


	16. Presents are Wonderful Things

Presents are Wonderful Things

**Thank you, and Purple 'n Blue Wings, for all your reviews! I would also like to thank everyone who has helped me so far with the story- Ravenscry21 and Purple n' Blue Wings and an old friend of mine. I will be happy for more reviews and more PMs. My story and I LIVE off of reviews and ideas.**

Joan's Point of View

It has been a few weeks since I last saw Wesker. I have been starting to warm up to him. Or at least the idea of him. My brother and I have been talking about him. He has been helping me get used to not being as alone as I'm used to. When I think about Wesker, I think that _after_ he claimed me, he had done nothing short of gentlemanly… well, maybe not. I started to think about his eyes, what attractive eyes he had. His eyes could hold so many emotions and he tries to make sure they don't; however, he usually kept them hidden behind those glasses of his. He was tall, good looking, and strong. Outwardly, he was what I thought would be a good guy.

I was fixing a customer's horse in the stables when a knock on the door startled me. I turned around and found Albert Wesker. He was dressed in a long sleeved black shirt, black jeans, and his usual combat boots. I couldn't help but smile at him and wave my oil covered hand. "Hey, Wesker. Whatcha doing here?" I asked with a smile. I was getting used to his presence. And so was Rose, who jumped down from my shoulder and pitter-patted over to him.

"I heard that you were having trouble with ideas for trade. You know I could probably stop this Providence's tax for a while so you can have more time." He seemed a bit proud of himself. His chest was at its usual 'I'm a genius' man-puff-out. His eyes were hidden behind the glasses. Rose rubbed her face against his combat boots and started playing with his laces.

"You know that I hate it when you say shit like that. Besides, I got my taxes to Umbrella already paid. I do it twice every year so if I miss one year its okay…. Besides, could you hold the light over to the left?" I turned back to my work. Wesker held up the light for me. My hands already knew what to do; it was just a tune up job. That and the customer wanted some more power in his horse. I'm not an expert on the 'adding of power' but I have a friend who is. She lives on one of the Main Providences. One of the ones that house's half of Miami to be exact. Her favorite is birds. She makes guard dogs out of mechanical birds. "If he isn't happy with my job then I'll give him over to Ali to fix the horse."

"Are you mumbling to yourself again?"

I looked up at him and with a determined face I bluntly stated, "Yes." I then nodded once and went back to work. He sat on the chair in the back of the stall and was reading a bunch of notes on his computer clipboard while I worked. This was somewhat normal for me. For the past year he had been forcing his presence upon mine; he would always bring something to keep his boredom to a minimum when we didn't feel like talking.

I smelled something good. It smelled like fried meat, instantly my stomach growled. I knew that smell. There was a restaurant in Miami that served fried alligator and it was one of my favorites. _Dang, John must have told him one of my weaknesses. Not right! So not right! He knows I love that recipe._ My stomach felt like it was eating itself and I knew he could hear it. I also knew that he had a smirk on. To be honest it seemed as though that was one of the few facial expressions that he had.

I finally gave up and asked him about what he had in his bag. After a while of him mocking me about it we finally ate the meat and we both went back to work. It was only a few hours later that I was able to finish and be done for the day. I was planning to go swimming with my niece and cousin. It was my turn to watch them today. I said good bye to Wesker and left to go get Anya and Angel.

I had the girls with me when I went swimming; of course it didn't take  
them so long to get ready. If anything they were ready before I even went up the driveway. It was getting dark and it was time to get the kids home. Sharks would come close to the shore here around this time. Children weren't safe at night around here since their viruses haven't fully developed to help protect them. It is painful growing an arm back… trust me, I know.

I could hear rustling in the sea grape bushes and the non native trees that have grown here over the past year. Obviously someone doesn't know how to be quiet around here. As the steps grew closer I got nervous, the sound of the steps were unfamiliar. The sound of the boots on the sand and leaves weren't what the officers wear. It wasn't until I heard the click of the safety on a gun that I was starting to worry.

"Anya, Angel, swim to the dock and run to the shore, go get my brother. Do you understand?" I whispered to them. They knew my face and understood to be silent. John and I have done drills with the children of our family so they know what to do if ever something terrible could happen. By the time they were hidden by the dock I turned to be face to face with a gun.

"Who are you?" a slight baritone voice asked. I could see blonde hair and some facial hair through my wet hair. He was in the water with me and it seemed as if he didn't notice. It took me a while but when I looked up I was shocked. It couldn't be… this man seemed so similar to Mr. Kennedy, a customer of my grandmother's.

"Impossible… Mr. L-Leon Kennedy?"

His blue eyes widened with recognition, "Joan?"

A pain went through my hand as I slapped him in the face. I was pretty angry with this guy, he still looks like he's in his thirties, but he has to be almost in his seventies to eighties. It wasn't until that I held my straight razor to his face that I snapped out of it. "What the fuck are you doing here?!" I screeched out; I couldn't help it. Leon has been missing for years and then all of a sudden he is here, in front of me.

No POV

Leon sat up from under the young woman. Sand was all over the two adults; it was in their hair and on their wet clothes. _It's even in my mouth, damn it._ Leon thought as Joan was pulling up from pinning him down. As she rolled to his right side he saw a golden chain wrapped around her neck. That was new… well everything about her was new. He hasn't seen her in over twenty years! As she was looking up at the stars he took this time to glance at her.

Her changing hair was back to brown and her eyes didn't seem to be different. She still had some baby fat on her cheeks, but he decided that she would probably never get rid of it. Her red lips were pulled back in a peaceful smile, something that he had doubted she had lately. Her white shirt was see-through and a black bra was wrapped around her C sized breasts. Her shorts were on the shore and her black underwear looked pretty good on her.

Claire had asked him to visit this place while she was out looking for information about some girl. It seemed that tonight her client would leave for a week to go back to his job before he would come back for his mate. Leon didn't really understand all the mystery, however Claire was an old friend and he wanted to visit this place again.

He used to have a vacation home here. It wasn't much, but it was enough to relax in between missions. He didn't think that Joan survived the Darkness or the takeover or even if she did, he would have thought she would have at least ten kids by now and already be mated. He remembered that even though she was a child and a young adult she had an enchanting personality. Not surprisingly, this environment now called for an attitude that would dull it down if she didn't want to be mated. And if he knew her, and he did, she wouldn't even want to be mated yet.

"Checking me out? Aren't you a bit old for me?" Joan joked with a smirk on her face. She turned in the sand and faced him. "Where have you been all this time?" her smirk died and was replaced with a frown on her face and then a scowl. "Where were you when the Darkness came? You said that no matter what happened you would always visit." She may be older, but she was still a teenager physically and right now, emotionally.

Leon sighed and mentally kicked himself. He knew this was coming. He turned to look at the stars before he answered, "I have been traveling. After I got infected I couldn't travel for a while, so I was stuck in Europe. When I recovered I went down to Australia and was caught there for a while." He stopped for a bit as he remembered the end of the rest of the zombies. It was the definition of the word horrific. With a sigh he continued, "I found the woman again, we got married, but we couldn't have kids since she was murdered a year later."

"I'm so sorry."

Leon nodded and continued on what he did while he was away, "After that I was hunting her killer. When I finally got rid of her I came back to America. About five years ago was when I settled down in Nevada. I got a call from an old friend and decided to visit here. What about you?"

Joan sat up and looked at the water. Sharks came by and were hunting near the shore. Despite this she still took in the smell and sound of the waves lapping up on the shore. The wind was blowing through her wet hair was peaceful for a while before she answered. "I have been claimed."

"Son of a bitch!"


	17. Consiquences

New chapter

Blood was everywhere; there was no place in this cell that wasn't covered in the red body fluid. The once white walls and floor and some of the ceiling are now saturated with the life liquid from the once living subject. In his weakened state Albert Wesker has to resort to violence in order to keep his sanity. _Or whatever is left of it_. His red eyes looked down to his naked hands now red. The exact same hands that held the living, beating heart of the subject not five minutes ago, and it was the same heart that is squashed by his boot on the floor and was lying not a foot away from the still twitching arm on the ground.

"Whoa, and I thought I got pissed." A low whistle broke from the voice's mouth. Wesker turned to see the clone of his old friend William Birkin. William had his hands in his lab coat's pockets. As he walked he tried to stay away from the ripped up body parts that slept upon the floor, however his boots were also bloodied up by the soaking floor. "This about the girl? Or is this from the nullifiers?"

Wesker growled almost animalistic, when he scoffed William saw some fangs instead of canines. Obviously, that got his attention. William got out of his right pocket a red and white can of spray; it has in it specific hormones and chemicals harvested from the Umbrella street officers who became Unstable. It temporarily made a man sane if his viruses got out of hand. William and most scientists carried this on their person 24/7. Later this month every personnel will have to carry a can or two for protection.

"Come on, old friend," William crept over to Wesker and spoke gently, "You should calm down; I'm not here to take anything or anyone away from you." Wesker growled again and grabbed a scalpel that was on the bloody table that once restrained the patient and held it like a knife. "You should put that down, Al," William still walked slowly over to Wesker. His heart was pounding in his chest, is he going to get stabbed before he could help his friend? Or is he going to be one of the first to die in a mass murder?

"Stay… back, Will." Wesker was able to ground out. Nevertheless, William Birkin's clone continued over to Albert Wesker's shaking, scalpel-armed body. Before the Unstable ripped the out stretched arm off, the clone sprayed him in the face.

It worked almost instantly. The cat-like pupil's that were once huge now shrunk down to a reasonable size as the adrenalin slowed down. Wesker's body stopped shaking like a druggie's and he began to straighten his self up. He put down the scalpel back onto the bloodied table and started walking over to the door, before he opened the door he got sprayed again in the face.

"What was that for, Will?" he coughed out. Really, that crap smells. His fangs were still out, but he was already used to them. He felt a bit calmer, but he could tell that his viruses were just waiting for the right opportunity again.

"Had to be sure, Al, I can't have you running all over the place while you are acting like an Unstable; now can I?" William was throwing the can up and down as he caught in mid air. This blonde haired clone had a smirk on his face pointed at his boss. "So, what made you decide to end Mr. all-over-the-floor-in-pieces?"

They were walking down the hall now. Other scientists and janitors just ignored them. It was almost normal to see these two men covered in blood. It just meant more work for the cleaners. The white walls almost blinded the Unstable as he walked with his close friend the clone. The white tile floor began to get red boot prints as they walked over to Wesker's living quarters. As they walked Wesker kept quiet until he got inside his station.

Will took out his laptop from the back of his coat and sat down on a chair facing a table after he took off his bloodied up boots. Wesker got changed as his friend was working on his long password. "So, should I ask again?" Will's voice rang as Wesker was in the bathroom washing his face and hands.

"It was nothing."

Will groaned as he heard the answer. "Nothing?! You were acting as if I was coming between you and your girl. Really, what brought on the _animalistic_ homicidal behavior? I mean, I'm used to your homicidal behavior, but _that_ kind of action was new to me. And to tell you the truth, those fangs, I haven't seen in a while." When he got onto his home page he stopped and raised his head to see his friend seated at his desk.

"The nullifiers aren't working as well anymore."

"They are only to be used as a temporary solution- you know that. Besides, what is the last thing you remember before you slaughtered that man?"

And so Albert Wesker started on what he remembered before his viruses took over his body, "I was asleep and having that same, damn dream again…"

Leon was cursing up a storm as Joan was staring incredulously at him. Really, he was saying stuff that even made her blush, and that was saying something. Joan was a sailor before her boat sunk and she worked with the Cubans who dominated the lobster fishing business. But, that was neither here nor there, not when Leon was acting so out of character.

"What's up with you?" Joan couldn't help but ask. She was starting to get annoyed with him. "I tell you one thing and you just go off, again, what is wrong with you?" she sat up and watches Leon walk in circles in the sand still cursing.

He paused for a bit before asking, "Who claimed you?" it was just one question and it was one question she had a bad feeling about. His short hair almost completely dry jumped as he turned to her angrily. "Who claimed you, Joan?" his eyes were glowing and she could tell that she should answer him. And as she did she just shrugged.

"Just some guy."

"Again, who claimed you?"

"Some dude named 'Albert Wesker'. Why?"

His eyes widened and all of a sudden he paled. Only one word came from his mouth, "Shit."


	18. A Siren's Bittersweet Goodbye

A Siren's Bittersweet Goodbye

Joan wasn't around her house when Wesker came around the next day. He decided to return early to try to get her alone. Only, when he got there the house and stables seemed abandoned. John was around the front, looking worried. He was pacing in front of the back door of the house. His hands were fidgeting with his brown hair and red shirt. His boots were treading heavily on the ground in a circle. As Wesker rounded the corner John came up and looked disappointed.

"Have you seen her?" John asked worriedly.

Wesker looked at him and shook his head. "No, I was just about to talk with her." John looked down on the ground and started shaking.

"You claimed her, and you don't know where she is?" John glared at him. "Albert, what the hell, man? Joan's missing! She ditched _my_ daughter in the middle of the night and hasn't come home since! She set all the horses free and disappeared. And you are telling me that, _you_, an _Unstable_, doesn't know where your mate is?!"

"I don't stalk her anymore; I am in control of my viruses, now." Wesker lied. If she disappeared than how will he be able to gain her trust and go back to his own life? He was getting fed up with her. The one time that he found slight hope that this would be over quickly was last night with William. Now, she is gone.

He knew she took pride in her horses and by setting those free probably meant that it was unlikely that she would come back for a while. But he knew that she was starting to trust him. He may not know a lot about the women's species, but he knew how to manipulate them. So, why did she up and go away? She couldn't have figured it out. No one knew that he was the king, and those that did were too scared of him to tell or they are already dead. So, why did she leave?

And more importantly, how long would it be before he went insane from his viruses?

_**Joan's POV**_

I couldn't stay. I found out stuff about Albert Wesker last night. Leon told me so many things. So many horrible things about him. One of them was that Albert Wesker was the king; I guess I should wait for myself to grow wings and become a tooth faerie. Joking aside, I got scared. Despite being angry with him, I knew that something was wrong… I was starting to trust him. It didn't feel right. I mean, this was too quick, I shouldn't trust him. Was he really manipulating me or am I being paranoid? I just have to leave and go somewhere that I can be free. I wrote a few goodbye notes to my family, it breaks my heart to have to leave, but what could I do?

Early in the darkness last night I got up with Leon and I set the horses loose. Leon gave me a gun and I took my Glock that Jacky gave me and I left Rosie outside. I knew that someone would take care of her. I got to Night Wood and mounted him. As I looked at the house that I have lived in for so many years, I could help but feel sick with sorrow. I got out the few photos of my family and packed a few clothes for my departure and they were in packs on his flanks.

I looked at Leon on his new mount and he nodded. He knew of my pain. He fell in love with this place too, but he doesn't know how bad it feels. As we started riding away quietly, I started to silently cry. This would be the second time that I left this place; only, this time felt that this would be the last time that I would see this piece of heaven.

By the time we got to the Old Route we had stopped for a few times for me to say goodbye to only home that I loved. And as I gazed at the ocean tears fell. I felt some arms wrapped around me. It was Leon; he maneuvered the horse to mine and was now hugging me. The sun was coming over the horizon and I knew that we had to go if we didn't want to get caught. Leon let go when I held up my hand and I turned into a full gallop, maneuvering over the caltrops, Leon wasn't as experienced in riding as I was, but I put his horse on a sort of following autopilot so we didn't give ourselves away in our disappearance and all he had to do was be quiet and hold on.

A few hours later we reached a small village and I bought some new clothes and sold my old ones. Cloaks were becoming more popular now, because the hood could hide your face while you travel and privacy was a must now. Controlling mates were known to hide their mates' appearances and same with their mates'. Leon got some supplies such as food and medical supplies. It was going to be a long journey till we got to where Ali was.

Ali was an old friend, I knew that she could take care of Night Wood and I could buy one of her Chocobos. Yes, she also made Chocobos, where we were going we would need more protection and safety. Of course I probably wouldn't be able to go into her workshop, Leon would have to. I would hate for him to go in without me, I would love to see his face when he met her. She was known for being a bit loose to her good looking male customers and employees. She was a good friend and a great mechanic. She was looking to marry Don before he died, but they never got to it.

I looked into a mirror and I saw a young woman. She seemed to be decent enough and her dark brown eyes were sad. Her ruby lips were pulled down and her neck held a gold chain. It wasn't until I noticed the cut on her lips that I realized that it was me. I decided to get dressed into the new clothes. I guess I have changed much over the years.

When I was done I came out of the stall to find Leon packing up his horse. Before I could put on the green cloak that I bought he turned. He whistled before saying, "Looking good, kitten." He smirked before he walked over and twirled me around. My dark blue jeans started to show as my long, light green skirt twirled. I laughed as he twirled me and he smiled.

"'Kitten'… where did that come from?" I put on my new cloak and put the hood up. "I may love cats, but I don't want to be called one." The long cloak covered me all the way down to the bottom of my new, leather boots.

Leon looked at me and smiled that boyish smile that he has and whispered, "You may need a new name." he turned to look at the clothes that they had at the market stall. He needed to get out of the clothes that he is wearing, in order to get rid of the scent trail. I guess that is why this village's market is mostly clothes. Everyone needs to hide, so they buy and sell their clothes here.

"Well, what about… um… 'Siren'?" I looked around at the ribbons to put in my hair. They had so many different colors and sizes. As I was looking Leon got changed and bought his new clothes. When he finished selling his old ones I grabbed the light blue and the orange-red ribbons and bought them.

"It's your name," he looked at me; he had a black shirt and a brown leather jacket. His new pants I could tell held many weapon pockets. "Although, I would keep away from oceanic names. You never know how well _he_ has connections." He kept his black boots. I knew that he loved those boots. He used to kid about how lucky they were.

"Well, I like it… or I'll just go by Joe."

"Go by Joe then," he said as we re-mounted our steeds. Night Wood was working properly, but I guess he and I weren't used to so much traffic. Leon took the lead and I followed him. I rarely went this way and whenever I did I usually got lost. "You alright?" his question got my attention; I nodded and began to tie the ribbon in my hair. It was a bit relaxing listening to the mid morning chatter of everyone in the market place. "We are going to be heading north-west when we get out, alright?"

"Alright!" I agreed with him and we just listened to the chatter as we rode throughout the town weaving our way out of the wooden stalls and houses looking to escape the mass amount of people.

When we finally did escape it was just woods everywhere, what used to be towns or highways were long since over grown. We were alone on the road and in Providences that I didn't know well. Now, it was Leon's expertise to escape the roads. When we found fellow travelers on the road we had to hide our faces and hope they ignored us.

We didn't really talk to each other, not really. We both kept our eyes ahead of us and in hope that Miami would be near. We felt comfortable in each other's company, just like the old days. However now, I feel a bit happier. When we reached the Traveler's Mark we stopped to rest for a bit.

The Traveler's Mark isn't really used anymore by travelers. The Mark is in actuality just a clearing in the wildlife; it has a fresh water brook and trees for shade. Since no one was there we decided to rest for a bit. I sat down under a flowering tree while the horses drank from the brook. Leon decided to take out some food from the bags and handed me a few nuts, some jerky, and an orange. I took out two of the few photos out of my bra and looked at them as I ate my breakfast.

One was with my mom and dad. It was just after they got engaged and my mom's eyes were sparkling with tears of joy. My dad's smile was so bright it could light up the dark side of the moon. My dad's arms were around my mom's waist. Mom was blushing as she was showing off her ring. A perfect scene from their life was trapped by a camera.

Another photo was of my parents, John, Sally, and I. It was at their wedding, Sally's dress looked gorgeous and John looked so sharp. I was one of the bride's maids and I was in a red dress with make up on and my hair done. Everyone said that Sally and I looked stunning. That day was so happy for my family. I finally got a sister. That thought was flying in my mind at the time that the photo was taken. John and Sally were in the center; Mom and Dad were holding each other and looking into each other's eyes to the left of the happy couple. I remember that after the flash of the camera they kissed. I was off in the corner to the right. I was looking at them and seeing such joy from the two couples and wishing for my own.

Leon came back and sat down near me; "Looking back at happier times?" he opened a bottle and took out some water to wash his face. "Beware, you don't get too nostalgic, remember, the past can soothe or sear, but it's the future you have to look to and the present that you are stuck in." When he was done he drank the water and refilled the bottle in the stream. I was still staring at the photos. It was hard to look away, yet I knew that he was right. "We should start to leave." After he said that we got up and packed up the supplies and horses and continued on the road.

_**~A few hours of endlessly riding later~**_

Miami was still bustling as ever. There were so many shops and food stands that one would think that that was all there was. Only if you looked hard enough you could make out tiny houses in the distance. Some shops sold guns and others clothes. More sold food and medical supplies. The smell of fried meat was everywhere. It was in the afternoon and we got to a break in the market place. Ali's workshop was just around the corner.

By the time we got to the entrance there was a fight breaking out in front of the store. I sighed; it seemed Ali's brothers thought a guy robbed her again. This happens once a week if I remember correctly. They just beat up a guy and then everything was back to normal. Travelers always think that they can get away with robbing a girl mechanic. It has happened to me before lots of times and it would have probably happened again if I didn't need to run.

"_**And stay out!**_"

Finally, the fight was over, and I clicked for Night Wood to go forward to the dispersing crowd. Leon followed me and we rode slowly into the open doors. Ali was tinkering with an albatross and a mechanical sparrow sat on her shoulder. Her blonde hair covered her eyes as they were tinkering with the parts. "Visitors! One good-looking guy! And one unknown girl!" the sparrow squawked in her ear.

Ali looked up and saw my horse, "Thief or new owner?" she was asking if it was me but in a way that if anyone asked she couldn't really say if it was me. We did this constantly, especially back when I was in hiding with my family.

"New owner," I said softly as I got off the horse that I made from scratch. "I'll trade this for a phoenix and a chocobo." I brought up the horse and opened my hand. She nodded and then hugged me.

"I'm so sorry. And I'm also sorry about this too; I'm all out of chocobos. Umbrella took them all so that they could actually mutate chickens into chocobos. However I could give you a phoenix and another horse and cart." She ran over to Leon and whispered something to him, and then she left the room. When she came back she held out a paper. "Go to Kentucky's 58th Providence and my uncle will have work to do on his farm. He breeds what's left of the horses, real horses. You will find good work there and good pay. Just give him this."

"Alright, Chickie. Good bye!" I said with a bittersweet smile and hugged her. Leon took the paper and we started to unpack Night Wood and Leon's horse. As we did it, Leon got the horses and cart ready. Ali didn't say anything until we got outside on the other side of the old factory.

"Bye," was all she said before we left. I waved and so did she as we went north to Kentucky.

"You know it will take us weeks, right?" Leon looked at me and nodded. "And by doing this you are now a fugitive right?" he nodded again still looking at the road. "If you are going to regret it, then don't come with me. I don't want your blood on my hands."

"I left you a long time ago; I'm not leaving you now. And I _won't_ regret it."

I looked over to him from the back of the cart and I smiled, "Thank you." And I turned away from the sun to get some sleep before the next Traveler's Mark. This is my life now, on the run, but not alone. And that's okay with me.

**So, how do you like it? I hope I did alright. And the death of Don was done by Wesker by the way and that will come out soon. I hope it doesn't seem rushed through like I feel with my other work. I suppose you could say this is the end of part one and now we are on to the new adventures!**

**3**

**Moon**


End file.
